The newly-formed 23XI Racing NASCAR team, owned by Michael Jordan, recently unveiled its car for driver Bubba Wallace for the Daytona 500 next month.
Wallace tweeted out a short promo video for the team and the car on Thursday morning. The car is primarily red and white, with Wallace racing the No. 23. It looks like an ode to Jordan's days with the Chicago Bulls.
New Year. New ride. Let’s Go! ⁰
Daytona 500 | February 14 | FOX | 2:30pm ET#ReadytoDeliver #DoorDash #23XIRacing pic.twitter.com/n4zjLsOCQu— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) January 14, 2021
Michael Jordan partnered with NASCAR legend Denny Hamlin to form the new NASCAR Cup Series Team, appointing Wallace to be his marquee driver shortly thereafter.
Wallace will look to represent His Airness well in his fourth full Cup Series season, just months after shaking up the sport.
The only full-time Black driver in the Cup Series, Wallace was instrumental in getting NASCAR to ban confederate flags from race sites this past summer. He subsequently dealt with an ugly situation involving a rope knot shaped as a noose, which was found in his garage at Talladega Superspeedway.
Meanwhile, Jordan partnered with Hamlin to form their own team, one meant to to encourage more diversity in the sport. Jordan also pledged $100 million over the next ten years in the hopes of diversifying NASCAR:
“Historically, NASCAR has struggled with diversity and there have been few Black owners,” 23XI Racing main man Michael Jordan said, via NBA.com. “The timing seemed perfect as NASCAR is evolving and embracing social change more and more. In addition to the recent commitment and donations I have made to combat systemic racism, I see this as a chance to educate a new audience and open more opportunities for Black people in racing.”
The Cup Series begins with three minor races at Daytona before the heralded Daytona 500 on Feb. 14.
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