When John Klausmeier led Kurt Busch to his first victory of the 2016 season, it was his first time as a crew chief. A decade later, that interim crew chief is about to reshape 23XI’s technical operation. With NASCAR’s silly season now in full swing, it’s all poaching season for the best minds in the series. Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s 23XI Racing has secured its first big recruit in John Klausmeier to lead the team into its new era.

The team released an official statement on X announcing the addition of the race-winning crew chief-turned-technical director at its Airspeed HQ in Huntersville, North Carolina.

“Welcome to 23XI! We’re proud to announce that John Klausmeier will join the team as our first technical director. John will officially start in December, working with our crew chiefs and competition leaders to ensure 23XI continues to be competitive and successful at the racetrack.”

The announcement marks the beginning of a new partnership between the Veteran NASCAR engineer and the new team entering its seventh full year in the NASCAR Cup Series. But what makes this expansion truly monumental is the experience Klausmeier brings to the growing team and how it could make all the difference in its 2027 campaign.

Klausmeier has over two decades of experience working in motorsports. He began his career as an intern for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in the Busch Series and eventually transitioned to the Cup Series. Klausmeier scaled his portfolio by growing into his role at Stewart-Haas Racing, where he mastered his skills for 16 years. He started in engineering roles before taking on crew chief and senior technical leadership responsibilities.

Klausmeier led three Stewart-Haas Racing drivers to Cup Series victories (Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, and Chase Briscoe). These triumphs marked important feats in all three drivers’ Cup Series careers, with Busch winning his first in 2016, Almirola claiming his first victory with Stewart-Haas Racing in 2018, and Briscoe securing his maiden Cup Series victory in 2022. Drivers also achieved career-best results with Klausemeier, as he led Almirola to the Championship playoffs in 2018 and 2019.

Before taking on the technical director role at Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, the NASCAR veteran had been working in the same capacity with Richard Childress Racing since 2024. During his time at RCR, he oversaw the entire technical operation of the team: from vehicle systems engineering, design, and metrology — the measurement and inspection processes used in engineering. He is expected to take on a similar role at 23XI.

While the new technical director brings a promising portfolio, the team’s expansion is an important turning point. The team has just wrapped up its best season so far by securing eight race wins, 23 top-five finishes, 45 top-10 results, and two Crown Jewel victories.

The team’s driver lineup, Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, Corey Heim, and Riley Herbst, strengthened its foothold in the series as the team expanded from a single-car entry in 2021 to a four-car fleet in 2026 (including Heim’s part-time car).

The Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin-led team has also come close to fighting for a title win, as Reddick had the opportunity as early as 2024. Now, after delivering its best season so far, the team is expanding its base by adding more talent to help the racing organization fight for title wins.

While John Klausemeier’s arrival marks the team’s first major expansion move, it does not bring any additional crew chief or competition strategist roles. The technical director will work closely with Dave Rogers, 23XI Racing‘s Senior Director of Competition.

“Each year, our organization has focused on steady growth and improvement,” Rogers stated as he welcomed the new technical director on board, “and the addition of John (Klausemeier) as technical director to the competition group will strengthen 23XI and continue to ensure our team maintains a high level of execution.”

“The organization has done a fantastic job of fielding competitive cars each weekend, and this move will help us build on the strong foundation that has been built at Airspeed.”

This new era comes after the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR was finally settled with a favorable outcome for the 23XI Racing team, as Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s team charters were restored and greater long-term certainty around their future in the Cup Series. Now the North Carolina-based team is looking forward to closing the gap ahead in 2027 by taking on the fight with title contenders and race winners at the front of the field.

Klausemeier’s arrival will strengthen the team’s existing three-car program, will help Corey Heim settle in for his first full-time season with the team, and will help them understand how to use their resources better.

While teams like Legacy Motor Club and Spire Motorsports have enormously benefited from the appointment of their technical directors, Brian Campe and Dax Gerringer in 2024, respectively, it will be crucial to watch how much the 23XI team will benefit from John Klausemeier’s expertise.