Recently, there have been rumors circulating that 23XI Racing may be interested in acquiring additional charters to expand their team. These charters, introduced by NASCAR and the Race Team Alliance in 2016, are a way to reward long-term commitment to the series. Currently, there are 36 charters distributed among various teams. The co-owner of 23XI Racing has now shared his thoughts on this matter.
23XI Racing, formed in 2021, is co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace, along with Michael Jordan. The team made significant progress last year, with both Hamlin and Wallace qualifying for the playoffs. With their state-of-the-art race shop, Airspeed, the team is now in a position to further expand. However, Hamlin has mentioned that they have not yet made a decision on acquiring a new charter, as there is uncertainty surrounding the regulatory changes that NASCAR may implement regarding team ownership.
Hamlin expressed skepticism about the future leadership of NASCAR. The current CEO has faced criticism from various team owners and principals for recent decisions that have significantly impacted the sport. This has made Hamlin cautious about investing more in his team and has deterred him from purchasing another charter in the near future. The cost of a new charter is substantial, with Spire Motorsports recently spending $40 million on one.
Since the introduction of the Next-gen racecars, drivers have had to adapt their driving styles to these new vehicles. Hamlin, too, has faced challenges in adjusting to the seventh-generation cars. In a recent podcast, the 52-time Cup series race winner discussed the peculiarities of the newer machinery. The Next-Gen cars have less power and increased drag due to higher downforce, resulting in slower speeds and a need for a different driving style compared to the previous generation cars.
Despite these difficulties, Hamlin has achieved success with the Next-Gen cars, securing wins in the Cup series. As a result, he is focused on earning more victories in order to accumulate points for the regular season championship.