January 21 Game To Feature Driver Appearances, Show Car, In-Game Activations
January 10, 2022 – The Charlotte Hornets announced today the first-ever 23XI Racing Crossover Night, a collaboration with Mooresville-based 23XI Racing to create a themed game experience at Spectrum Center on Friday, January 21, when the Hornets host the Oklahoma City Thunder. The event will include 23XI Racing-themed in-game activations and appearances by 23XI Racing drivers Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch, as well as 23XI Racing Co-Owner and longtime Hornets season-ticket holder Denny Hamlin.
“The Hornets and 23XI Racing have much more in common than shared ownership; our principles and mission within the community are very much aligned,” said Hornets President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “Hosting 23XI Racing Crossover Night is a tremendous way to further strengthen our bond and open up future opportunities for collaboration between our organizations and leagues.”
Fans in attendance will have the opportunity to view a 23XI Racing showcar, which will be on display on the Spectrum Center concourse, and will have the chance to win 23XI Racing prizes and giveaways throughout the evening, including a co-branded rally towel.
“We’re very excited about this unique collaboration with the Charlotte Hornets and the opportunity to bring our teams together,” said 23XI Racing President Steve Lauletta. “Being based in the Charlotte region offers a natural ability for our two organizations to interact and work together in a variety of ways. As we enter our second year, we want to continue building the 23XI brand and fan base, and partnering with organizations like the Hornets allows us to introduce their fans to NASCAR, Bubba, Kurt and what we do both on and off the race track. Our hope is fans of both the Hornets and 23XI will attend and we can show the synergies between the organizations and create new fans for both teams."
Tickets for the January 21 23XI Racing Crossover Night and all regular-season Hornets games can be purchased online at hornets.com or ticketmaster.com, on the Hornets App or via phone at 1-800-4NBA-TIX.
About Hornets Sports & Entertainment
Hornets Sports & Entertainment owns the Charlotte Hornets, Greensboro Swarm and Hornets Venom GT, and operates Charlotte’s Spectrum Center. The Charlotte Hornets are a member of the NBA’s Southeast Division. Owned by NBA Legend Michael Jordan, the Hornets organization strives to deliver a relentless attack on the court, an unmatched experience in the stands and a positive impact throughout the community. The name of the city’s original NBA team from 1988-2002, the Hornets moniker returned to Charlotte in May 2014, uniting the rich history of NBA basketball in the Carolinas. The Greensboro Swarm are the NBA G League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets and play at the Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Hornets Venom GT is the organization’s esports team affiliate that joined the NBA 2K League in 2020. Spectrum Center is the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas, hosting over 150 sporting events, concerts and family shows annually. For more information, please visit hornets.com, gsoswarm.com, HornetsVenomGT.com or spectrumcentercharlotte.com.
About 23XI Racing
23XI Racing – pronounced twenty-three eleven – was founded by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin in 2020. With rising NASCAR star Bubba Wallace selected to drive the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD, the team made its NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 2021 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Wallace made history on October 4, 2021, when he captured his first career Cup Series win, becoming just the second African American to win in the Cup Series, and earning 23XI Racing its first-ever victory. 23XI Racing will expand to a two-car organization in 2022 with Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD.