Starting anything from scratch in a competitive environment takes a lot of planning and execution before things can come to fruition. Such has been the case for one of NASCAR’s newer entries in the garage, 23XI Racing. Established in 2020 by NBA legend Michael Jordan and JGR’s Denny Hamlin, the team has taken significant steps in just this short period of time.
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With their constant improvements in performance, where does the team see itself in the next couple of years? Well, that is exactly what co-owner Denny Hamlin recently addressed on his podcast–Actions Detrimental.
Denny Hamlin shares major future update for 23XI Racing
Having signed a deal with Joe Gibbs Racing himself, Hamlin also addressed the future plans of 23XI Racing.
“23XI will continue its relationship with Toyota into the future. Nothing really changes. We’re going to continue on the path that we’re we’ve been on. It was my goal to make that a championship organization within five years.”
“We’re going to continue on that trajectory. I think that we’re on a in a good spot. Our relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing is in a good spot. So this kind of solidifies all those deals as done.”
Looking at their existing growth as a team, having both cars in the playoffs within a few years of their existence is a significant step forward. Hearing Hamlin’s stance on making the team a championship contender is a great thing to hear. However, it is evident that it would take a lot more for the team to reach that stage.
Hamlin talks about the 23XI Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing alliance
Later in the podcast, Hamlin’s co-host inquired about the growth of the relationship between JGR and 23XI since the team’s inception on a five-year plan. He further asked how the relationship has evolved and how it will continue to develop in the future.
The JGR veteran elaborated, “Well, I’ve seen a lot of alliances come and go with Joe Gibbs racing. A lot of it is dependent on sponsorship. As we know, the viability of any race team still rely, heavily relies on sponsorship. That is still true.”
“But, our sales team and Steve Lauletta has done a great job of making sure we are a stable team. We’ve got a lot of great things going. But one thing I’ve noticed is that with 23XI and JGR. It is a true alliance. There’s not, before, it’s just more JGR – gets paid a service fee and essentially is really helping out smaller teams, get the information they need to compete. This, it works. It’s working well both ways.”
He concluded by stating that JGR has been undoubtedly learning from 23XI, and vice versa. Hamlin emphasized that both teams are benefiting from each other’s knowledge and expertise, which is how alliances should essentially function. He believes that this collaborative approach will enable both teams to improve and grow together.
