Michael Jordan’s NASCAR future addressed as 23XI | Sports News

Knee deep in its fifth NASCAR Cup Series season since being co-founded by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing’s honeymoon period is nicely and actually over. Without a win since October 2024 at Homestead-Miami and embroiled in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit along with Front Row Motorsports in opposition to NASCAR, which has not too long ago seen the group lose all three of its charters, the rest of 2025 may show pivotal within the future of 23XI.

The lawsuit alleges monopolistic and unfair behaviour by NASCAR and is set to go to trial in December. Despite 23XI’s best efforts, its charters have been formally vacated as of the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 on Sunday at Dover, gained by Hamlin within the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota. 

This got here after a U.S. District Court Judge denied their request for a momentary restraining order, which might have allowed each 23XI and FRM to proceed racing as chartered groups by way of this season. But whereas their hopes might have been dented in relation to the short time period, there’s nonetheless hope that a recent injunction may rule of their favor following the following race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as per Fox Sports.

With wins having dried up and off-track controversy having decimated any hopes of this being an quick and seamless success for Jordan, 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick was not too long ago requested whether or not or not he believed the NBA icon can be sticking round for the long haul.

“Every time we hear [Jordan] talk, yes,” he mentioned on the Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast. “I think that he’s been in some moments like this, with the NBAPA and the league, in the past. 

“But man, it sure seems like it’s not going the way that they thought it was going to go, as far as – NASCAR is not the NBA. They’re fighting a different fight. I don’t know how it’s going to work out for him this time.

“I think it’s affecting their teams. The performance of their teams. Where they are right now, being unchartered, losing their charters – how do you sell sponsorship? How do you keep your drivers? How do you keep your employees? I don’t think this has gone the way they thought it was going to go, and now it’s all becoming more challenging.”

Harvick famous that following his win on the “Monster Mile,” Hamlin was insistent that “all will be exposed” as it pertained to the lawsuit in December, though the 49-year-old was not sure precisely what this meant. Regardless, Harvick painted a bleak image for 23XI within the short time period, asking, “From a team-standpoint, driver-standpoint, sponsor-standpoint, why do you even want to be in the middle of that until it’s over? 

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“Everybody wants to be in the middle of something that Michael Jordan is doing. You want to have cars that are winning, to put your name on the side, which is where they were last year, not this year. Denny’s obviously in the middle of it, winning in a Joe Gibbs car. He’s balancing all of that.

“But I think the team dynamic has become very difficult. So, I don’t know how frustrated Michael gets, but everything that we’ve heard him say is he’s in it for the long haul, and we’ll find out.”