In the world of sports, Michael Jordan is a name synonymous with success. One of the greatest athletes of all time, MJ was known to be an unstoppable force of nature in his days playing in the NBA. However, even after his retirement, he has continued to grow as a brand and ventured into multiple domains, some successful and some not so much.

Being a long-time fan of NASCAR, Jordan was looking to find a way to be affiliated with stock car racing. When the opportunity finally arrived in 2020, he shook hands with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin to give birth to 23XI Racing, which has been on the upward curve since its inception. And now, the team looks to grow to a level that might help MJ leave behind the sorrows of his recent $3 Million exit from ownership in the NBA.

Massive opportunities lie ahead in NASCAR for Michael Jordan

A few months back, Jordan found himself in a fix over the ownership of NBA team Charlotte Hornets. Known for his tendency to challenge luck, he has often been caught in his gambling exploits. However, this time, it went to the extent that the damage was irreparable. Consequently, he had to sell his stake in the Hornets team for a whopping $3 billion. After being on the search to recover the loss, it looks like the solution might be in the Cup Series.

Michael Jordan was among the many stars to grace the Cup Series finale at Daytona. Cheering from the trackside for his driver, Bubba Wallace, who had been on the doors of playoffs for a long time, turned out to be fruitful for him as Chris Buescher’s win helped Bubba hold tight to his spot in the final 16. This implied that both of their drivers, Bubba and Tyler Reddick, would have more to fight for in the next two months.

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MJ’s stint as an owner in the NBA is not at all similar to his time in NASCAR. 23XI Racing has gone from strength to strength with every passing race and in recent times has also been an option for drivers from outside of stock car racing. Having lured in star drivers like Kamui Kobayashi and Travis Pastrana, they have truly got something going on behind the scenes. The recent developments have also piqued the interest of MJ, who will undeniably be looking to make the best of the chances presented.

Co-owner Hamlin has been a pillar of strength for Jordan in his time in NASCAR. Being the guiding light for his partner in a relatively tougher sport, Hamlin signaled that there might be more good things to come for the team, as MJ began to take part in the team’s decisions. Earlier this month, he revealed more about it as he said,

“Certainly, he’s involved in more meetings. Now he wants to be on every branding e-mail. I’m like, ‘Oh boy, this could be interesting.’ So, yeah, I think he has some more time and perhaps he’s gonna use that more on the race team.” 

Hamlin could also prove to bring some more firepower to 23XI next season, with his future with Joe Gibbs hanging by a thread.

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Denny Hamlin might be a future driver for 23XI Racing

The tension between JGR and Hamlin has been gradually rising. A few days back, appearing as a guest on SiriusXM Radio, Denny provided some insights on the ongoing contract talks. Denny has been faithful to Joe Gibbs for almost two decades now, being a reason for the celebration more often than not. However, the duo is yet to win a championship together and that elusive title might just be the motivating factor for Denny to make the switch.

“It’s business. Certainly, I have to always look out for the long-term viability of 23XI…Again, the relationship with us, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Toyota has been really strong for our first 3 years. And certainly, all parties would like to continue that. But you know, there’s a lot of paperwork and red tape that you gotta go through to make sure that happens,” said Hamlin.

The situation got a bit awry, especially after Hamlin’s words at Daytona that sparked doubts over his future at JGR. Speaking to the media, he was asked that if given the chance between supporting teammate Ty Gibbs and Bubba, what would be his preference? Although he tried to be diplomatic to be on the safer side, he spilled the beans about favoring Bubba over Joe Gibbs’ grandson.

 “I am gonna work with both of them equally, but right now if I had to choose between them side by side upon the line 00.1 chance that happens, then obviously I probably lean to the 23 side.” 

Even if Denny has denied rumors about shifting to 23XI earlier in his career, the relationship with JGR seems to be getting looser from the looks of it. Michael Jordan, on the other hand, will be hoping for this move to go through, as it bolsters their chances of becoming a powerhouse in NASCAR by a huge margin.

To add to the team’s happiness, 23XI has also struck a deal with the popular video game title Rocket League, which is one of the most-played online games in the world. Tyler Reddick will be the driver that sports the brand on his jumpsuit, bringing in a massive amount of publicity and fans for the team. With this much possible good news on the radar, MJ will surely be happy to grab them and shrug off his woes from the Hornets.

Watch This Story: Watch: When Michael Jordan Trolled His Own Driver Bubba Wallace