23XI star piles pressure on Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin after latest NASCAR success

The month of July has undoubtedly been a turbulent time for the likes of Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, with 23XI Racing suffering multiple setbacks in their ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR.

Having seen an injunction that allowed them to race as chartered teams in 2025 overturned in June, 23XI were recently denied a rehearing on the matter, and subsequently, a temporary restraining order to prevent NASCAR from stripping them of their charters, which eventually happened ahead of last weekend's Cup Series race at Dover.

READ MORE: NASCAR Qualifying Results: Denny Hamlin denied pole after WRECK as Toyota dominate at Indianapolis

However, after a rough few weeks, the team finally have some good news to celebrate, with Corey Heim securing the regular season championship in the Truck Series on Friday night with a third-place finish at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Heim, who races for Tricon Garage Toyota in the series but is signed to 23XI Racing as a development driver, went into the race with a hefty 144-point lead over Chandler Smith and needed 39 points to secure the regular season crown, ultimately coming away with 45.

“Feels really good. Just a testament to how good I’ve been this year,” Heim said post-race at IRP.

“I feel like this is probably the first race where I haven’t had a legitimate shot to compete for the win, so that really says something.”

READ MORE: NASCAR announce driver DISQUALIFICATION at Indianapolis

Regular Season Champion x2 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tri2HvZhsG

— TRICON (@TRICONGarage) July 26, 2025

Heim victory piles pressure on Jordan and Hamlin

Whilst Heim's victory is overwhelmingly a good thing for 23XI, it also piles a lot of pressure on Jordan, Hamlin and company when it comes to developing his career and potentially even promoting him into their Cup Series team.

The 23-year-old is now a two-time regular-season champion in the Truck Series, and whilst he is still yet to tick the box of becoming the overall champion at the end of the playoffs, another year racing trucks feels like it would do little for his career progression.

Of course, a step up to the Xfinity Series could be on the cards, but, given the talent that he has shown in trucks, and the fact that Hamlin has made it clear he wants him at 23XI for the long haul, why wait?

There is the (not so) small matter of contracts, of course, with all of 23XI's current drivers locked in until the end of 2026, but when Riley Herbst has had such a difficult season in the No. 35 so far, and Heim has dominated so much in the Truck Series, there must be a real temptation to fast-track the 23-year-old.

Heim's ability has surely caught the attention of other teams, too, and what's to stop them from making a bold move for the newly-crowned champion if 23XI Racing cannot offer him something exciting moving forward?

Ultimately, a lot is currently unclear at 23XI Racing, including what the future holds for their three charters. However, what is clear is that Heim has outgrown the Truck Series and that he is ready to move on and make a step up.

Be that to the Cup or Xfinity Series, with or without 23XI, Heim's success puts big pressure on 23XI to make the right development call moving forward and not squander the talent Heim evidently has at his disposal.

READ MORE: Star driver open to leaving NASCAR for rival racing series

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