Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, in victory lane | Photo courtesy of 23XI Racing

By Ryan Moxon – 23XI Racing, the NASCAR Cup Series team owned by Cornelius resident Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, posted its fourth win in five races this season as driver Kyle Reddick took the checkered flag at the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday.

Earlier this season, Reddick won the season-opening Daytona 500, the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 in Atlanta and the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix in Austin, becoming the first driver in NASCAR history to win the first three races of a season. He finished eighth last weekend in Phoenix.

23XI Racing, founded in 2020, is in its sixth season in Cup racing.

“Even legacy teams dream of starts like this,” Hamlin said following the race. “For a start-up team to think about it, it’s probably a little pie in the sky, but it all comes together.”

“I mean, eventually you just keep putting really good people together, and you’re going to have these type of results. Again, I think this was the most impressive weekend I’ve seen from 23XI.”

The win at Daytona was Hamlin and Jordan’s first at the historic track as team owners. Hamlin drives the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing and has 61 career Cup Series wins, including three in the Daytona 500.

Reddick joins Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott as the only drivers to win four of the first six Cup races, and could become the only driver in history to win five of the first six with a victory Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

The Reddick family resides in Davidson and 23XI Racing is headquartered in Huntersville.