Throughout much of the 21st century, NASCAR has been dominated by three powerhouse teams: Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske. On Monday, Denny Hamlin announced that 23XI Racing is ready to break through this longstanding dominance and position itself as a leading competitor in the Cup Series. Hamlin emphasized that 23XI Racing is focused on challenging the established hierarchy and reaching new heights in the sport.
In 2024, 23XI Racing secured significant achievements, including winning the regular season championship through Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 team. Additionally, Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 team earned 23XI Racing its first major victory last season by winning the Brickyard 400, one of NASCAR’s most prestigious Crown Jewel events. More recently, Reddick claimed a second Crown Jewel for the team by winning the Daytona 500, signaling 23XI’s growing presence among the sport’s elite.
Stepping up to rival the traditional NASCAR leaders
Denny Hamlin is unapologetic about 23XI’s ambitions to challenge NASCAR’s “big three” teams week after week. He admitted that last season did not meet the team’s high standards for wins and performance but remained confident they have the resources and talent to improve.
We, as a team, last year, did not win the amount of races we want or expect. … We expect lots of wins every year. We know that we give our team the resources to do that and last year was an underperforming year,
Hamlin said.
Hamlin expressed that despite the stiff competition from well-established organizations with decades of success, 23XI Racing is determined to become the next elite team in NASCAR.
We’re trying to infiltrate the old guard that has taken over the sport from the past few decades from their commitment, their winning pedigree, they got the best people, great drivers — it’s hard, really hard to overtake those guys, but we want to be one of the teams that can challenge that week in and week out.
Recent performance and outlook for the current season
After making steady progress in 2024, 23XI Racing faced challenges in 2025, potentially impacted by a lawsuit involving NASCAR that may have distracted the team. Tyler Reddick struggled to secure a win during that period, contributing to a difficult season. However, recent results indicate a resurgence.
On Sunday, Reddick ended a 38-race winless stretch with a strong victory and now appears positioned to be a serious contender for the championship. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace demonstrated significant speed by leading the most laps in the Daytona 500 and earning a top 10 finish. This renewed momentum reflects 23XI’s commitment to competing at the highest level.
Hamlin rejects the idea that 23XI should settle for finishing behind the established big three teams and insists that their goal is consistently strong performance.
We don’t want to go to the racetrack thinking, ‘Well, our expectations should be 10th to 12th because surely all the Gibbs, Hendrick and Penske cars are gonna be one through 10 on speed,’
Hamlin said.
F*ck that, like, we build fast cars, and I think that shows up.
The significance of 23XI Racing’s rise in NASCAR
23XI Racing’s emergence as a serious competitor challenges the long-standing dominance of Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske. With two Crown Jewel victories and a recent regular season championship, they have demonstrated that they can compete for top honors. Their drive to break into the sport’s elite signals a potential shift in NASCAR’s competitive landscape.
As the current season unfolds, the pressure will be on 23XI Racing to build on its recent successes and maintain consistency against a fiercely competitive field. Denny Hamlin’s leadership and the performances of Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace will be crucial for the team’s quest to redefine NASCAR’s power structure and carve out a lasting legacy among the sport’s top organizations.
