Update: 23XI Posts and Quickly Deletes Michael Jordan Paint Scheme From Social Media

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What’s Happening?

On Thursday, 23XI Racing posted the paint scheme that Tyler Reddick was entering at Bowman Gray Stadium. However, the team deleted this post shortly after posting it. This paint scheme referenced an interesting story of team owner Michael Jordan’s NBA career, but is there a deeper reason this paint scheme is now missing?

Update Jan. 24, 2:45 PM: 23XI has reposted the paint scheme, though it no longer includes the “Unbannable” tagline.

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The now “zombie” paint scheme was for Michael Jordan and Nike’s Jordan Brand, which makes the Air Jordan Shoe. The brand has appeared on 23XI’s cars since 2022. The Jordan schemes are a fan favorite for their designs that match shoes released under the Jordan Brand.

This paint scheme, the first revealed for Reddick in 2025, was supposed to race at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 2. The car is draped in Jordan logos covered in black tape alongside the phrase “Unbannable.”

Its design references the Air Jordans that the NBA allegedly attempted to ban in the 1984-85 season. While some claim there is more to the story of the shoes, the controversy turned into a successful marketing campaign for Nike.

While the reference is not obscure for Jordan Brand and 23XI to promote, entering it in the first race on the 2025 NASCAR Calendar had fans asking if it was a jab at NASCAR referring to 23XI’s ongoing NASCAR lawsuit.

What’s the Connection to the Lawsuit?

On Oct. 2, 23XI and Front Row Motorsports filed a joint antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR.

Shortly after, the two teams motioned for a preliminary junction that would allow them to compete as Chartered teams throughout the lawsuit in 2025. They initially lost this injunction; however, after re-filing with new evidence, the judge awarded them the injunction in late December.

While NASCAR was not going to ban the teams from racing, they would have been without their Charters. Prior to the judge’s ruling, NASCAR made plans to have only 32 Charters on track in 2025. This meant 23XI and FRM would have had to qualify for every race on speed.

Upon seeing this new paint scheme, some fans assumed it could be related to the team’s courtroom victories during the off-season. While it’s not a direct reference to the lawsuit, it definitely was released at an interesting time.

Nevertheless, the scheme is not on the team’s social media pages, and, of course, the reason the team deleted the paint scheme is unknown.

Some reasons could be lawsuit-related issues on 23XI’s end, NASCAR not allowing them to run the car, or even part of a marketing strategy, as Nike plans to re-release the shoes this year. Among the possibilities could even be that the team prematurely announced the scheme. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time that has happened in NASCAR.

This scheme’s quick disappearance is interesting, and fans may soon get an answer to what happened.

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