23XI Racing have steadily grown since joining the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021. They started out as as one-car team before adding a second car in 2022, and after running a third car in select races over the past couple of years, they added a third full-time entry in 2025.

Now, for the first time in team history, they are set to run four cars in this Sunday afternoon’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Bubba Wallace drives the No. 23 Toyota, rookie Riley Herbst drives the No. 35 Toyota, and Tyler Reddick drives the No. 45 Toyota. For the first time this year, the team are set to add the No. 67 Toyota for Corey Heim, their development driver who competes full-time in the Truck Series for TRICON Garage.

It is also set to mark the first primary sponsorship of a Cup car for Robinhood.

Corey Heim set for first 23XI Racing start of 2025

Heim, who made one Cup Series start for the team last year at Nashville Superspeedway, is also set to drive the No. 67 Toyota at the Chicago Street Course on Sunday, July 6.

Additionally, Robinhood is set to serve as the primary sponsor of Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota in the playoff races at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 13 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, October 12.

Under NASCAR’s new charter agreement, teams are not allowed to operate with more than three charters, unless they previously had four. As a result, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing are effectively “grandfathered in” at four, while 23XI Racing remain capped at three charters.

Having said that, Heim’s No. 67 Toyota is still locked into Sunday’s race, as there are only two non-chartered (open) cars on the entry list, bringing the entry total to 38. Cup Series races are capped at 40 cars. The other open car set to compete on Sunday is the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, which is set to be driven by Jesse Love.

I just heard the news that racing legend Jochen Mass died on May 4 at the age of 78. I knew he suffered a stroke in February and now, just a few months later, he succumbed to complications. Other articles you’ll read or have read will do a better job than this one does of highlighting his remarkable racing career. Quickly, though, among other exploits, Mass won a Formula 1 race as well as the 1989 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Not too shabby.

I met Mass years after he retired from racing, and while we weren’t close, I aways enjoyed any time we spent together. I’ll pretend it was mutual. If nothing else, we always laughed when we saw each other.

His mischievous sense of humor wasn’t a secret; I remember the night we met. It was 2011 during festivities surrounding Mercedes-Benz’s 125th anniversary celebrations in Stuttgart, Germany. Mass was among the last team of drivers to achieve a Le Mans victory for Mercedes, so naturally he was there, along with a who’s who of stars and celebrities including tennis legend Boris Becker and Germany’s chancellor at the time, Angela Merkel.

I’ve always been a Le Mans fan, so I walked up to Mass and introduced myself. He looked down at my name badge, spread his arms wide, and erupted, “Herr Liebermann!” followed by a bunch of German. I understand enough Yiddish to have caught the drift of what he was saying (essentially, it’s nice to meet a German at a big party like this). I stopped him and said look again, there’s only one “N” in Lieberman, it’s Jewish, not German. He looked down, looked back up, smiled, and said, “Oh, well, that’s OK. Nice to meet you anyway.” He then grabbed my hand and we both started laughing, as we’d do for many years to come.

As a (mostly) Mercedes brand ambassador, Mass was a fixture on the fancy car party scene. I could count on seeing him several times a year at events like Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, and either of the two Goodwood events, the Festival of Speed and the Revival. When I was lucky enough to run the Mille Miglia, there was Mass in Brescia at the start of the race. Even though he was who he was (literal motorsports royalty) and I was some random car writer, he’d always make time for me.

He was a master of playing to an audience. Right after the Ron Howard movie Rush came out in 2013 (in which Mass played himself), I was with two friends at a party in Pebble Beach and I noticed him sitting by himself. I asked my friends, “You want to meet Jochen Mass?” You can guess their response. One of my buddies asked Mass what James Hunt was really like. Without missing a beat, Jochen launched into the most wonderful X-rated Hunt the Shunt story you could ask for. The down and dirty, nitty gritty that would never make a Hollywood film. Mass understood the assignment. It was exactly what my friends wanted to hear. Jochen kept looking at me from the corner of his eye and winking the whole time.

Fast forward a few years, and a bunch of us auto-journo types were at a Mercedes dinner in Florida with the guest of honor, Jochen Mass. Someone asked him what his favorite race car was. To a man who had 114 starts in F1 alone, I imagine this is like asking your accountant to talk about their favorite tax return. Still, Mass didn’t miss a beat. He began by explaining how excellent the Porsche 956 handled, how responsive and easy it was to drive. But of course, the 962 was a faster, and more successful racing machine. The Sauber-Mercedes he won Le Mans with was a handful, but effective. And then, like a comedian reading the room, he stopped himself. “But in the Porsche 917, you’d get wheel spin at 200 mph.” Again, it’s exactly what everyone at the table wanted to hear.

I think we truly bonded one year at Amelia Island when he was being honored. I wound up sitting next to him, his fabulous wife Bettina, and one of their twin daughters, Sydné. It turned out Sydné was on her way to journalism school and Jochen spent the whole dinner (when he wasn’t whispering dirty jokes in my ear) peppering me with questions about writing for a living. Again, he was the one being honored, yet I found myself feeling like the center of attention. I found it baffling at the time, but I wasn’t yet a parent. I realized years later he only wanted what was best for his kid. That, and he liked telling jokes.

The Tour d’Elegance is an event that takes place annually on the Thursday of Pebble Beach Car Week. It’s a rally that’s only open to cars that will be featured on Pebble’s 18th Hole on Sunday for the main Concours d’Elegance. Entrants don’t have to participate in the Tour d’Elegance, but if you want your car to be eligible for a class win, it’s got to go on the Tour. Mercedes-Benz is a long-time Tour d’Elegance sponsor, and as such I found myself inside a C111 Gullwing, while Mass was in front of me piloting a 300 SL Gullwing. His passenger? The late Sir Stirling Moss. To underline it, Mercedes has won Le Mans overall just twice. Once in 1952 with Moss, and again in 1989 with Mass. As I was taking video from the C111, shooting the Mass and Moss Gullwing crossing Bixby Bridge, I was overcome by a massive case of imposter syndrome. What on earth was I doing here?

When we parked for lunch, it was bright and sunny outside, and Mass announced he needed a hat. For whatever reason, I knew of a hat store in Carmel-by-the-Sea, so I walked him over to buy one. As we went, I began to explain my severe sudden onset of imposter syndrome, and how overwhelmed and unworthy I felt by driving with two car gods like him and Moss. I finished right before we walked into the hat store. At the door, he looked me over for five seconds and deadpanned, “I feel something different.” Then his face twisted into a smile and we both burst out laughing, yet again.

One final anecdote, and while this is my favorite, Mass wasn’t even there. I was driving somewhere with two fellow journalists, Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn and The Wall Street Journal’s Dan Neil. I can’t remember why we were talking about Mass, but Neil began to tell us what today we refer to as “The Balloon Story.”

This goes back to an odd phenomenon in the 1990s, when instead of blasting themselves into space, billionaires were obsessed with circumnavigating the globe in giant balloons. You might remember the late Steve Fossett. Anyhow, Neil told us how Mass told him that sometime in the 1990s, Jochen was asked to accompany some rich guy on a big balloon flight. I don’t remember if they were going around the globe or just crossing the Atlantic, but Mass tells Neil the balloon went down somewhere near the Azores.

The pod they were in allegedly became damaged when it hit the water, and the rich guy wound up with a head injury. Mass had to tread water for 14 hours and keep his companion from drowning before they were rescued. Jochen was known for his physical prowess—I’d heard stories he could walk up stairs on his hands, an incredible feat of strength. So while wild, the story was at least on the surface plausible.

I googled “Jochen Mass balloon crash.” No results. The three of us began thinking this could very well be a story he made up, just to pull Neil’s leg. The man was funny like that. We couldn’t get ahold of Jochen, but I had his wife’s cell number. I texted Bettina, asking if this seemingly tall tale was true. She wrote back, “Yes! It was a terrible accident. Jochen almost drowned. I told him, ‘No more balloons!’”

Once again, I find myself laughing. I wish you were still here to laugh with me, Jochen.

The NASCAR Cup Series makes its spring trip to Kansas Speedway this weekend, with qualifying set for Saturday at 5:40 p.m. ET on Prime Video. Qualifying will be one lap and one round.

QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series | Craftsman Truck Series

The qualifying order below is determined via metric that combines the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%).

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The race itself is at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. Watch the AdventHealth 400 on FS1 or listen on MRN Radio or SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

MORE: See full Weekend Schedule

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

The Coca-Cola 600 isn’t just another race—it’s a true test of endurance and strategy for drivers. On May 25, NASCAR Cup Series drivers will take on 600 miles under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway. While no easy task, the thrill of crossing the finish line makes it one of the most rewarding victories of the season.

From hydration routines and workout regimens to mental preparation and in-car adjustments, every driver has their own way of getting ready for this ultimate test of stamina. Here’s how some of NASCAR’s best prepare for one of the most anticipated nights on the schedule:

Ross Chastain, No. 1, Trackhouse Racing

“Preparing for a 600-mile race like the Coca-Cola 600 is really about just being able to do the same thing, 400 laps, 400 times. So, running long distances and cycling long distances, getting more than an hour doing either of those is where you really find the pain cave. So, just more time, doing the same exercises, and I’m always trying to build up those times to be longer, but to be honest, there’s no way to prepare for 600 miles in a cup car around Charlotte (Motor Speedway).”

Austin Cindric, No. 2, Team Penske

“I think what makes the Coke 600 difficult to prepare for is obviously the length of the race, longer than any other race we do, but all of the stages being equal lengths, it’s really easy to separate it out as you’re going through the race. No different than running on the treadmill, you get down, you look down, you see that a quarter mile, it’s like, all right, I got three more of those to go. It’s the same way you get on with the first stage. It’s 100 laps, so tell yourself, ‘just got to do that three more times.’”

Brad Keselowski, No. 6, RFK Racing

“I don’t know, at some point, you either got it or, you know, you know, some people prepare all the time. Some people are just ready.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16, Kaulig Racing

“Hydrate during the week and at the end of the day, you just hope you get a good setup and you get in that rhythm. Charlotte (Motor Speedway) is a racetrack that, if you’re struggling, it’s going to last forever, but just getting mentally in that rhythm of hitting your marks lap after lap and just knowing you’re going to be there for a while. It’s a race that, as a driver, it’s a grind to be out there for that long. Mentally and physically, it’s taxing. So, when you win that race, I think it adds to that as a driver, you’ve really accomplished something because it’s not an easy race. Forget about winning, but just to get yourself through, on top of it, being 39 of the best in the world is what makes, for many reasons, the Coke 600, one of the biggest races, I think that’s in motorsports.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47, Hyak Motorsports

“Preparing for the Coke 600, it’s just another race for us. Once we’re in the race, we’re all pretty focused, really, the whole time. So, physically, I work out nonstop. I work out with no air conditioning. Make sure you hydrate. Hydration is probably the biggest key to that long race, and you’re in there sweating for five hours or so, and that can get pretty taxing.”

Shane Van Ginsbergen, No. 88, Trackhouse Racing

“That’s one of the toughest races. I’ll be prepared and start it up as much as possible, and then physically hydrate it as much as I can before the race, because that’s the longest race I’ve ever done.”

TICKETS:

Fans can purchase Coca-Cola 600 weekend tickets, online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in all weekend for just $10.

MORE INFO:

Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram, or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

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The NASCAR Chicago Street Race will be back for a third year in July, and Chicago Police and NASCAR representatives met with South Loop neighbors Wednesday to hear their concerns when it comes to safety.

While the revving of engines in Grant Park is welcomed by some, many who live in the area are not fans of the congestion the event ushers their way.

Paul Wasserman has called the South Loop home for 30 years, but in recent years, he has dreaded the NASCAR Street Race due to the lack of access.

“It’s really tough on the neighborhood during NASCAR,” Wasserman said.

As NASCAR plans to descend over several streets surrounding Grant Park for the third year in a row, many like Wasserman are fed up with what comes with the race.

“Occasionally when there’s an event going on down here, you get like a bad day or maybe a bad night for like a Beyoncé concert [at Soldier Field] or something, but this is like that, but for however long NSACAR goes on,” Wasserman said.

At the community meeting Wednesday night, Wasserman’s South Loop neighbors came together to voice their concerns directly to the Chicago Police Department — and specifically to NASCAR Chicago.

“I understand it’s a lot of people live down here, and they’re not interested in their front yard being a party every weekend,” said Central (1st) District police Cmdr. David Harris.

NASCAR said it is heeding neighbors’ concerns.

“We have been working very hard to minimize those disruptions,” said Julie Giese of NASCAR Chicago.

NASCAR said there will be a total of 25 days from setup to clearing the course and blocked roads, albeit for only two days of racing.

“We’re going to continue to get better at this,” Giese said.

Residents are waiting to see how the new changes will play out, but Wasserman stands by his opinion.

“I understand that we might have to live with it, but if it were elsewhere, I’d be happier,” he said.

The city entered into a three-year contract with NASCAR under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. This year is the third for the race.

Giese was asked if NASCAR plans to return again for a street race in 2026.

“Again, right now, our focus is on this year’s event,” she said. “We have those option years. We’ll have those conversations.”

The race is set for July 5 and 6..

All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

AdventHealth 400

Site: Kansas City, Kansas.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 4:30 p.m., qualifying, 5:40 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Kansas Speedway.

Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles.

Last year: Kyle Larson edged Chris Buescher by .0001 seconds in a photo finish win that broke the record for closest finish in Cup Series history.

Last race: Reigning Cup champion Joey Logano earned his first win of the season in overtime at Texas after passing Michael McDowell with seven to go.

Next race: May 18, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Last race: Kyle Larson earned his second series win this season after a late pass of Sam Mayer in a double-overtime finish at Texas.

Next race: May 24, Concord, North Carolina.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES

Heart of America 200

Site: Kansas City, Kansas.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 2:05 p.m., qualifying, 3:10 p.m., race, 7:30 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Kansas Speedway.

Race distance: 134 laps, 201 miles.

Last year: Dominating with a race-high 79 laps, Corey Heim survived a late surge from Zane Smith earning him his second win of the season.

Last race: Corey Heim battled Rhodes and Hemric three wide on the final lap in double overtime to hang on for the win in Texas.

Next race: May 17, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Last race: Oscar Piastri took control away from Verstappen with over 40 laps to go in Miami, earning the championship leader his third-straight win and fourth of the season.

Next race: May 18, Imola, Italy.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Sonsio Grand Prix

Site: Indianapolis.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 9:30 a.m., practice, 1 p.m., qualifications, 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, warmup, 11:30 a.m., race, 4:30 p.m. (FOX).

Track: IMS Road Course.

Race distance: 85 laps, 207.32 miles.

Last year: Out of the pole position Alex Palou scored his first victory of the year after taking the lead mid-race and sending him to the top of the standings.

Last race: Palou captured his third win of the year in Birmingham, dominating nearly the entire race and leading 81 of 90 laps.

Next race: May 25, Indianapolis.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Next race: May 18, Elwood, Illinois.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Gettysburg Clash

Site: Abbottstown, Pennsylvania.

Track: Lincoln Speedway (Pa.).

HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup

Site: Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Track: Williams Grove Speedway.

Next events: May 14 – 15, Ohsweken, Ontario, Conneaut, Ohio, Marion Center, Pennsylvania, Bedford, Pennsylvania, Cornwall, Ontario.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com

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