On Tuesday (June 9), TIME Magazine released its inaugural TIME 100 Most Influential People in Sports (2026) list, and on it, there is some representation for NASCAR.

Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, the co-owners of NASCAR Cup Series operation 23XI Racing, are listed under the “Innovator” section of the TIME100 Most Influential People in Sports, largely because of their triumph against NASCAR in antitrust court last December.

Hamlin currently pilots the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, and Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, matched the late Kyle Busch for ninth on the all-time wins list. The Chesterfield, Virginia-native has been a valuable asset to NASCAR and its community, speaking out against what he feels isn’t proper with the sport.

Michael Jordan is one of the most famous basketball players of all-time, and needs no introduction. In 2021, Jordan joined forces with Denny Hamlin to open 23XI Racing for Bubba Wallace, and has worked hand-in-hand with the future NASCAR Hall of Famer to build a successful operation, and help change the sport for the better.

Here is TIME Magazine’s excerpt for Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan:

Michael Jordan is pretty well-known for transforming basketball. But few would have predicted that Jordan, in tandem with three-time Daytona 500-winning driver Denny Hamlin, would initiate monumental change in NASCAR, too. In 2024, 23XI Racing—the NASCAR Cup Series team co-owned by Jordan and Hamlin—and Front Row Motorsports filed an antitrust suit against NASCAR, alleging that the organization’s revenue-sharing model, which many described as antiquated, unlawfully constrained teams  and that NASCAR and its chairman operated as “monopolistic bullies.” Jordan testified at the trial in December 2025, urging NASCAR, a family business run by CEO Jim France, to behave more like the NBA, where the league and team owners partner to grow the pie. The parties settled with no admission of liability by NASCAR, but with NASCAR agreeing to amend existing charters to make them “evergreen,” making it easier for teams to secure sponsorships and recruit drivers. A 23XI driver, Tyler Reddick, leads the NASCAR Cup Series standings. Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing even though he co-owns 23XI, sits in second. He has won three races so far this year, including the two most recent ones.

Also a part of the TIME100 Most Influential People in Sports is 23-year-old NASCAR Cup Series driver, Carson Hocevar. Hocevar, the driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, has stormed onto the scene as one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers and has done so with an outgoing, humorous, and, quite frankly, relatable personality. The Portage, Michigan-native is fast and isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers on the racetrack.

Hocevar recently scored his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway in April, and had a celebration so impressive and innovative that it garnered national attention, and got him invited to the Met Gala.

Here is the excerpt from TIME Magazine about Carson Hocevar:

Carson Hocevar could very well be the next face of NASCAR. The 23-year-old from Michigan, who claimed his first Cup Series victory in April, possesses a combination of talent and confidence that attracts a fervent following. In his third season as the driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, Hocevar captured his first win at the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega in Alabama. But his post-race celebration was even more memorable than his racing. With the crowd in full throat, Hocevar sat perched in the driver’s-side door frame, slowly steering his car down the course’s main straight as he hung out the window and waved to fans. “I just wanted them to get as loud as possible,” he said of the stunt. “I felt like they would if they could see me seeing them.” The joyride ended with a customary burnout, as the rising star closed his big day in a cloud of smoke.