Michael Jordan was left in shock after visiting the stunning new base of his 23XI NASCAR racing team, which includes ping pong, air hockey and stacks of his signature sneakers.
‘Man, oh man’, the NBA legend said as he took a tour of the 114,000-square-foot facility in North Carolina.
Jordan owns 23XI alongside driver Denny Hamlin, who helped design the ‘Airspeed’ base in Huntersville.
‘You guys earned this, I love it,’ Jordan told workers at the facility, which includes no few nods to the two co-owners. One conference room features Denny’s trophies, helmets and fire suit.
Another includes dozens of Jordan’s signature sneakers – stacked in the shape of the No 23. ‘This is far better,’ Jordan joked as he walked into the room.
There are 45 pairs of branded shoes in the room, all of which Hamlin had in his basement. MJ reportedly joked that he should instead use size 13 game-worn sneakers.
Some of the walls at ‘Airspeed’ are painted Chicago Bulls red, with 23 colors used across the building – all pointing to an iconic Jordan sneaker.
Hamlin was inspired by NBA and NHL arenas when he designed the facility, where the team will plot victory on the track.
The driver began working on initial sketches around three years ago, having seen a documentary involving the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
‘Airspeed’ took around eight months to complete, with Hamlin getting his hands dirty – stocking up on plates and silverware and plants for the break room, which also includes a ping pong table and hockey table.
‘They’re getting the feel of being an athlete,’ Jordan said during his tour. He also told workers: ‘You keep winning, we keep improving’
