Lawsuit not distracting Hamlin or his team as they chase Cup title

Denny Hamlin believes it’s simple in how he goes about trying to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship despite his organization suing the league. “[You] just need to prepare the best you can and do the best you can on Sunday,” Hamlin said at …

Denny Hamlin believes it’s simple in how he goes about trying to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship despite his organization suing the league.

“[You] just need to prepare the best you can and do the best you can on Sunday,” Hamlin said at Talladega Superspeedway. “It’s more of a question for my team and I would ask them, ‘Has your driver [ever] not been prepared?’ … Never.”

A joint antitrust lawsuit from 23XI Racing, the team Hamlin co-owns with Michael Jordan and Curtis Polk, was filed Wednesday morning in North Carolina. Not only does it take aim at the 2025 Charter Agreement, but alleges NASCAR and the France family have used anti-competitive practices, operate without transparency, have stifled the competition, and control the sport in an unfair way to others.

Hamlin is back behind the wheel of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at Talladega trying to advance in the Cup Series playoffs. He is 11 points above the cutline.

“I certainly talked about it probably a year or so ago when it came down to this, and I became more comfortable with what the result was – no matter what, whether I win a championship or not, I’m going to make sure I can sleep at night knowing that I gave it my all for my team,” Hamlin continued. “Certainly, there’s been some circumstances over time that I haven’t been able to control, but [I can’t] let those situations affect me. This situation I can control and I give the team the proper preparation and make sure that when I get in the race car on Sunday, they know through my actions on the track that I’m 100 percent in it and focused.”

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Hamlin believes that was shown again this week. Although he already makes sure that any request about the car he drives will supersede everything else, he was walking the Charlotte Roval layout this week “hours before” the moment that’s since dominated the news cycle.

The reactions Hamlin’s heard about the lawsuit have been positive, he said. Jordan Fish, his fiancée, sent him a clip from the movie Moneyball where John Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox, said, “The first guy through the wall, he always gets bloody.” It’s because there is a threat to the status quo and someone’s livelihood, but that’s a reaction Hamlin doesn’t want to see because the lawsuit should be viewed as an opportunity to promote change in the sport that’s positive for all involved.

Regardless, Hamlin again finds himself at the center of the news cycle, having to operate in chaos, which he’s previously said he does well in. He didn’t deny this is a similar situation to some of those personal and professional incidents in the past.

“I’ve always been one of those that doesn’t want to be consumed with this 24 hours a day — the driving aspect,” Hamlin said. “I would be burnt out if I raced as much as Kyle Larson or Kyle Busch. That’s just not my style of coming out here and competing.

“Make no mistakes, the competitor in me, you don’t think I don’t want to come out here and win this weekend more than any? That’s what I fuel myself on … So, certainly, anyone who knows me personally will tell you that these moments you’ll typically get more out of Denny because I hate to lose and will not justify any excuses to losing…. But this isn’t a responsibility I’m taking all myself. We have a team that handles this now and they’re now speaking upon it and acting upon it. The work’s been done on my standpoint; you just let them do their work and things will work themselves out.”

23XI, Front Row moving forward with future plans through dispute with NASCAR

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are maintaining a business-as-usual attitude despite filing an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and CEO Jim France earlier this week. “Yes, 23XI Racing plans to race next year,” co-owner Curtis Polk said. “We …

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are maintaining a business-as-usual attitude despite filing an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and CEO Jim France earlier this week.

“Yes, 23XI Racing plans to race next year,” co-owner Curtis Polk said. “We plan to continue to go through with all the things we were planning before this lawsuit. Our business model is going to move forward and we’re going to continue to grow and compete at the highest level.”

23XI Racing is expected to expand to three cars next season. While those plans have not been publicly laid out, the lawsuit revealed the organization agreed to purchase a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing in August.

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Front Row Motorsports announced its plans for a third car in May. Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson are two of the three drivers confirmed.

In the meantime, there are plans to file a preliminary injunction to allow both organizations to race next season under the 2025 Charter Agreement as the litigation moves forward. Doing so would not only guarantee the teams a starting spot in each event but also continue to earn the prize money from the charter.

The purse is significantly less for teams who do not have a charter.

“We made a commitment to our teams and with staffing people and preparing for 2025,” said Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins. “So, we’re full speed ahead either way.”

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday morning in North Carolina. It came less than a month after 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were the only two teams who did not sign the final 2025 Charter Agreement offer from NASCAR the weekend of Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In accusing NASCAR and its leadership of using anti-competitive practices, the organizations are not only seeking trebled monetary damages but a change to how the sport operates. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed the lawsuit jointly and are committed to seeing it through until there is a fair resolution for the teams.

“There has never been a case that I’ve found that is egregiously as anti-competitive as this one,” said antitrust and sports lawyer Jeffrey Kessler of Winston & Strawn. “Here we have a sport where one family has basically used its power to create an absolute monopoly for the benefit of that family as opposed to being to the benefit of the teams, drivers, sponsors, broadcasters, the fans. This monopoly didn’t happen because of superior product, the family’s investment, their innovation. This monopoly has happened because of illegal monopolistic practices.”

“We expect to win this case,” Kessler continued. “One way or another, stock car is going to change in this country for the better.”

Kessler acknowledged that 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are open to a settlement but only if a significant compromise is reached. But if the legal proceedings occur as expected, Kessler said it could be one or two years before it reaches the courts.

23XI Racing agreed to purchase third charter, needs NASCAR’s approval

23XI Racing agreed to purchase a third charter for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season; however, it still requires approval from NASCAR.

[autotag]23XI Racing[/autotag] and Front Row Motorsports filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, as announced on Wednesday. The two organizations haven’t signed NASCAR’s latest charter agreement and expressed several issues with how the sport handled itself during these negotiations. Also, the lawsuit contains one notable bit of information regarding 23XI Racing’s future plans.

According to the lawsuit, 23XI Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing “entered into a purchase agreement [for a charter] on August 7, 2024, but the transaction is still in escrow and requires approval from NASCAR.” As of now, the sport hasn’t approved the sale that would give 23XI Racing a third charter for the 2025 Cup Series season.

Riley Herbst has been heavily linked to 23XI Racing’s potential third car, but his future remains up in the air as the lawsuit between the two organizations and NASCAR plays out. It remains to be seen if NASCAR will approve the sale of Stewart-Haas Racing’s charter to 23XI Racing as the two sides now fight through an antitrust lawsuit.

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Reddick and team concerned as performance continues to dip

Tyler Reddick and his 23XI Racing team are looking for answers. The NASCAR Cup Series regular season champion has not shown the same form thus far in the postseason. Reddick has an average finish of 19.5 through the first four races with one top-10 …

Tyler Reddick and his 23XI Racing team are looking for answers.

The NASCAR Cup Series regular season champion has not shown the same form thus far in the postseason. Reddick has an average finish of 19.5 through the first four races with one top-10 finish and 21 stage points. Last Sunday, he was an also-ran at Kansas Speedway — where he won last year — taking a 25th-place finish.

“[We’re] definitely concerned,” Reddick said in response to a question from RACER. “What got us to winning the regular season championship is car performance — with that good handling as well. They’re kind of hand in hand; you do have weekends where you have fast race car but it’s not going to handle as good. But for us, we’ve just been lacking performance and a good-handling car.”

A sixth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway is Reddick’s best in the postseason. He has not earned a top five since winning at Michigan International Speedway (Aug. 18), which is also the last time he led a double-digit number of laps in a Cup Series race.

“Yeah, at this point it’s definitely a headscratcher,” Reddick continued. “I feel like all of us coming off of the regular season, I felt no emphasis change what I was doing. I don’t think anyone on this team has either. We just haven’t been putting together good races. We haven’t had speed; we haven’t been able to get stage points.

“It’s been tough.”

Kansas Speedway was one of the biggest surprises for Reddick. Not only was he the defending winner at the speedway, but Reddick has excelled on intermediate racetracks. He qualified fourth for Sunday’s race, but averaged a 12th place running position and only led laps through a green flag pit cycle.

“You look at Kansas — we did run the right-side shark fin and while I feel like a lot of folks on the NASCAR side felt it wasn’t going to change the characteristic of how the car drives, it was a massive swing in how the car reacts to sliding,” Reddick said. “I thought I was driving a Gen 6 car again this past Sunday because you could slide it so much farther than you could before. Typically, with this car, if you get sideways, you’re wrecking and spinning out. But you could slide it and just continue to slide it. So, I don’t know if that’s part of it.

“I think on our end we understood it was going to be a decent change to the car but we qualified OK, we started the race off with decent speed and knew balance migration was going to be a struggle. It was bad for a lot of the Toyotas but it was really on the extreme side for us. So, nothing [we] really can point our fingers at, to be honest.”

Reddick entered the postseason with 28 playoff points as the No. 3 seed. He went from 20 points above the cutline before Kansas Speedway to four points below the cutline, the first driver out of a transfer spot, after the race. The series heads to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend, where Reddick won in the spring.

Michael Jordan releases statement after 23XI Racing’s lawsuit against NASCAR

Michael Jordan has released a statement after 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ lawsuit against NASCAR in 2024.

[autotag]23XI Racing[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Jordan[/autotag] are willing to fight against NASCAR following the charter agreement drama and other issues. On Wednesday morning, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports announced they had filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. Jordan, a co-owner at 23XI Racing, also released a statement.

“Everyone knows that I have always been a fierce competitor, and that will to win is what drives me and the entire 23XI team each and every week out on the track,” Jordan said. “I love the sport of racing and the passion of our fans, but the way NASCAR is run today is unfair to teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans. Today’s action shows I’m willing to fight for a competitive market where everyone wins.”

As of October 2, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are the only two organizations that haven’t signed NASCAR’s latest charter agreement. Jeffrey Kessler, who will represent the teams, said, “There has never been a case that I have found that is as egregiously anti-competitive as this one.” For now, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are still planning to compete in NASCAR.

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Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports sue NASCAR in 2024

Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have sued NASCAR in 2024. Find out the latest details on the lawsuit in NASCAR!

[autotag]23XI Racing[/autotag] and [autotag]Front Row Motorsports[/autotag] have taken their actions to the next level. On Wednesday morning, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports announced they have filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and its chairman, Jim France. As of October 2, the two organizations are the only teams not to have signed NASCAR’s latest charter agreement.

“We share a passion for racing, the thrill of competition and winning,” 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports said in a joint statement. “Off the racetrack, we share a belief that change is necessary for the sport we love. Together, we brought this antitrust case so that racing can thrive and become a more competitive and fair sport in ways that will benefit teams, drivers, sponsors, and, most importantly, fans.”

Jeffrey Kessler, a noted antitrust attorney, will represent the teams, and this isn’t his first time dealing with this type of business. Kessler has been instrumental in helping college athletes get paid for NIL and has been very successful in cases involving the NFL. The two teams will look to continue racing, despite the lawsuit against NASCAR moving forward.

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‘NASCAR’s going to have to change’ says antitrust lawyer as 23XI, Front Row file lawsuit

Antitrust and sports lawyer Jeffrey Kessler believes a lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports will be like other moments in professional sports that have brought change. The joint antitrust lawsuit was filed Wednesday morning in the …

Antitrust and sports lawyer Jeffrey Kessler believes a lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports will be like other moments in professional sports that have brought change.

The joint antitrust lawsuit was filed Wednesday morning in the Western District of North Carolina against NASCAR and CEO Jim France. It alleges that through anti-competitive practices NASCAR and the France family operate without transparency, have stifled the competition, and control the sport in an unfair way that is at the expense of the race teams, drivers, sponsors, partners and fans.

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“This is reminiscent for me of many sports that have gone through a transformative model,” said Kessler, who was hired by the race teams at the beginning of the year to advise them on their negotiations with NASCAR. “(It’s) sort of a moment when the legal style basically confronts them and says, either you’re going to voluntarily change or you’re going to be changed and you can either get on the bus or get run over by the bus. No one wanted this litigation but NASCAR didn’t really give these teams any choice — you either submit to the bully or you fight. They’re going to fight.

“We think at the end of the day, NASCAR’s going to have to change because that’s what the legal system is going to require.”

There will be no settling for crumbs, Kesseler said. It’s also not about changing the deal by only a slight amount.

“If NASCAR is willing to change, it’s got to be a significant change to make a fair system for the teams,” he said. “If they’re not willing to do that kind of a deal, then they’ll take this case all the way to a jury and a judge, and that’s why I say they’ll be forced to change. It’s the same type of thing I went through with the NCAA, who had a choice to make. They could keep fighting in court and keep losing and have the new system thrust upon them or in that case, they finally sat down and said, we’re ready to transform the sport and we’ll be a part of it.

“That’s the type of choice that NASCAR is going to face.”

There have been two years of negotiations — which at times turned tense and standoffish — between NASCAR and the teams over the 2025 Charter Agreement. On Sept. 6, NASCAR sent a final offer with a deadline for teams to sign. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were the two holdouts of the 15 teams.

Bob Jenkins has fielded his Cup Series operation since 2005. But while saying he enjoys the sport and is passionate about racing, “at some point, it’s got to make financial sense. Every year of either losing money or trying to barely break even, after a while just wears on you.”

The teams came up with four key issues for their negotiations. In addition to making the charters permanent, the teams want a larger share of the revenue, a cut on business deals that use drivers or team likenesses, and involvement in governance issues. Jenkins said all of the team owners initially locked arms on moving forward together to accomplish a new charter agreement.

“NASCAR set out on this journey to basically divide and conquer, and they were largely successful,” Jenkins said. “I hate to say that but they were largely successful. Dusted off the 50-year-old playbook and said, ‘I’ll be dang, this thing still works, we can still intimidate the teams into signing a deal.’ September 6, that’s exactly what happened.”

According to Jenkins, and as outlined in the lawsuit, the teams received an email at 5pm that gave them one hour to review a 112-page document and sign or their charters would be pulled. After pushback from the teams, the deadline was extended to midnight.

“In my opinion, so many of the owners had long-term agreements with sponsors and OEMs, crew chiefs and drivers, they felt compelled to have to sign it because they couldn’t put the tens of millions of dollars at risk that would cost them if they didn’t sign it,” Jenkins said. “So, I think if you talk to those owners individually, that’s going to be the story you hear from almost all of them. But I just felt like it was time to stand up for this; I know that Curtis [Polk], Michael [Jordan], and Denny [Hamlin] all feel the same way, and we said, you know what, we’re going to fight this fight. We’re going to do what’s right and we want to fix this sport and get it healthy.”

Jenkins said 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports jointly filed the lawsuit because they are aligned in their goals and passion for NASCAR, and are committed and determined to carry the effort through.

Hamlin has been a Cup Series driver for Joe Gibbs Racing since 2005. Alongside friend and NBA great Michael Jordan, he founded 23XI Racing in 2021.

“I didn’t realize until re-investing the money that I’ve made as a driver back into the sport to put on a show for Jim France and NASCAR, how unfair this whole system is,” Hamlin said. “I didn’t realize they would exercise the power that they did in an unfair manner, in my opinion, and we just got to a tipping point where we all said, enough is enough and let’s exercise some options.”

Polk, who is also a co-owner of 23XI Racing, acknowledged the hope was bargaining a fair deal with NASCAR and not being forced into signing something they weren’t comfortable with. When that time came, the advice of Kessler was sought as to what rights and steps the teams could take, which resulted in the lawsuit.

NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports control the racetracks on the schedule, which doesn’t leave room for a competing series. NASCAR also owns the Next Gen car and parts must be purchased from the suppliers NASCAR selected at the prices NASCAR negotiated. The teams cannot take the car and race anywhere else.

“We knew we had no leverage in this whole process,” Polk said. “We’d meet with (NASCAR) about the things we thought would be better for the sport, not just for the teams but for the drivers, the fans, and for NASCAR and the France family to try and grow the sport. … We built this team for the sole purpose of running at the NASCAR Cup level. There’s nothing else I can do with these assets. I’m in a situation where I basically invested tens and tens of millions of dollars in a system where one person, basically, has the right to tell me I’m not going to get anything more and I can take it or leave it on September 6, and I knew that didn’t sound right and that’s why I went to Jeffrey and that’s why we’re where we are today.”

23XI, FRM lawsuit accuses NASCAR of ‘unlawful monopolization’

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have jointly filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and its CEO Jim France. It was filed Wednesday morning in the Western District of North Carolina. The suit alleges NASCAR and its leadership have used …

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have jointly filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and its CEO Jim France. It was filed Wednesday morning in the Western District of North Carolina. The suit alleges NASCAR and its leadership have used anti-competitive practices that have prevented fair competition within the sport.

“We share a passion for racing, the thrill of competition, and winning,” said a joint statement from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. “Off the racetrack, we share a belief that change is necessary for the sport we love. Together, we brought this antitrust case so that racing can thrive and become a more competitive and fair sport in ways that will benefit teams, drivers, sponsors, and most importantly, fans.”

The lawsuit is the next step in the ongoing dispute between the two organizations and NASCAR over the charter agreement. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were the only two organizations — of 15 — who did not sign the agreement when given a deadline the Friday of Atlanta Motor Speedway race weekend (Sept. 6).

NASCAR and its teams had engaged in tense negotiations for two years on a new agreement. Throughout the process, among the items teams sought were for the charters to become permanent and a larger share of the revenue.

In the introduction of the lawsuit, it explains that the “case is about the unlawful monopolization of premier stock car racing by the France family in order to enrich themselves at the expense of the premier stock car racing teams that the fans come out to see and that sponsors and broadcasters value.”

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports claim they’ve been harmed and suffered antitrust injury and are entitled to operate under the 2025 Charter Agreement until the completion of the litigation without relinquishing their antitrust claims; permanent injunctive relief to end NASCAR’s exclusionary practices and restore competition in the relevant market; and trebled monetary damages for the harm suffered under the anticompetitive, below market terms of the 2016 Charter Agreement as well as the harm the organizations will suffer under the 2025 Charter Agreement while going through litigation.

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The anti-competitive practices listed in the lawsuit are: NASCAR buying a majority of premier racetracks that are exclusive to NASCAR races; imposing exclusivity deals on NASCAR-sanctioned tracks; NASCAR acquiring a competitor, the ARCA Menards Series (which prevented it from growing into a more sustainable competitor while instead becoming a NASCAR feeder series); preventing teams from participating in other stock car racing series; NASCAR retaining ownership of Next Gen parts and pieces while forcing teams to buy those parts and pieces from NASCAR chosen single-source suppliers.

“The France family has used NASCAR to acquire and maintain a monopsony position over premier stock car racing teams through, among other anticompetitive actions, acquisitions of other racing circuits, racetracks, anticompetitive agreements that restrict the availability of racetracks that are suitable for premier stock car racing, monopoly rules regarding the exclusive use of specialized ‘Next Gen’ cars, and non-compete restrictions that prevent premier stock car teams competing in the Cup Series from also participating in races outside of NASCAR’s circuit.”

The lawsuit details what led to a charter agreement as no guaranteed prize money from competing in NASCAR races was a reliable revenue source for teams. Cup Series teams have long depended on sponsorships to fund a race team. In 2022, Jeff Gordon, the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, said the organization had not made a profit in years, which he then estimated to be about 10 years when speaking to Dale Earnhardt Jr. earlier this season.

At the same time, however, NASCAR was benefitting from television deals that have increased since the 2001 season with the introduction of major networks such as FOX Sports and TBS. The next media rights deal begins in 2025 with FOX Sports, NBC Sports, TNT Sports and Amazon. The lawsuit alleges NASCAR’s broadcast deals have totaled $23.1 billion.

In 2016, NASCAR implemented a charter system but the lawsuit alleges that while it was “an improvement over the prior economic conditions of the teams, it still was the anticompetitive product of NASCAR’s unlawful monopoly over premier stock car racing in the United States.” Included in the original 2016 agreement was that teams would agree not to compete in other professional racing series.

The provision was expanded upon in the 2025 charter agreement. Per the lawsuit, “while teams used to be prohibited from participating in any professional ‘stock car racing’ other than NASCAR, teams with 2025 Charter Agreements are now prohibited from participating in any ‘automobile or truck racing’ series not sanctioned by NASCAR.”

A jury trial has been demanded by the Plaintiffs (23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports). Through its filing, they are seeking relevant discovery from both NASCAR and France.

As stated in the lawsuit, “It has become evident that this antitrust litigation is the only way to free up the market for competition and enable Plaintiffs, and other stock car racing teams, to obtain the fair charter terms that will be realized in a competitive market for their services as top-tier stock car racing teams. A competitive market will enable the teams to earn the reasonable profits that are necessary for them to re-invest in their businesses and create an even more exciting product for stock car racing fans, sponsors, and broadcasters. The France family and NASCAR are monopolistic bullies. And bullies will continue to impose their will to hurt others until their targets stand up and refuse to be victims. The moment has now arrived.”

NASCAR has made no comment about the suit.

Michael Jordan, 23XI Racing donate $1 million after Hurricane Helene

Michael Jordan and 23XI Racing will donate $1 million after Hurricane Helene’s damage in North Carolina last week.

[autotag]Michael Jordan[/autotag] and [autotag]23XI Racing[/autotag] are pitching in to help following Hurricane Helene’s unimaginable effects. On Monday afternoon, Jordan and 23XI Racing announced that they would donate $1 million to assist with relief efforts in North Carolina after the damage suffered by Hurricane Helene. Each group will donate $500,000 to the NC Disaster Relief Fund and Second Harvest of Metrolina.

“Our hearts go out to everyone suffering from Hurricane Helene’s devastation,” Jordan said. “23XI Racing and I are honored to support the NC Disaster Relief Fund and Second Harvest of Metrolina as they help rebuild lives, restore hope and eure that those affected receive the assistance they need. While the process of recovery will take a long time, as a proud North Carolinian, I know firsthand the strength and resilience of the people in this state we call home, and we will get through this together.”

Also, 23XI Racing announced on Monday night that from October 1 through October 4, the organization will collect items to donate. The team said donations, ranging from water to first aid kits, can be dropped off from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. 23XI Racing posted a drop-off location of 12311 Airspeed Dr, Huntersville, NC 28078.

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Wallace extends deal with 23XI Racing

23XI Racing has signed Bubba Wallace to a multi-year renewal. The organization posted a video on social media that featured the No. 23, Wallace’s signature and the words “he’s back” above a photo of Wallace. In its post, the team wrote, “From day …

23XI Racing has signed Bubba Wallace to a multi-year renewal.

The organization posted a video on social media that featured the No. 23, Wallace’s signature and the words “he’s back” above a photo of Wallace. In its post, the team wrote, “From day one Bubba has been an integral part of 23XI. We’re excited to announce that he has signed a multi-year renewal and will continue to play a key role in helping 23XI grow and succeed.”

Wallace was the organization’s cornerstone driver when it debuted in 2021. He won his first career race at Talladega Superspeedway in the fall of ’21 and at Kansas Speedway in the fall of 2022. Although he went winless last season, Wallace made the postseason for the first time and finished a career-best 10th in the championship standings.

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23XI Racing has since expanded to two full-time drivers. Wallace was previously teammates with Kurt Busch and now with Tyler Reddick.

In his seventh full season at the NASCAR Cup Series level, Wallace is 19th in the championship standings. He has 42 career top-10 finishes and 21 top-five finishes.

23XI Racing was founded by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan.