CHICAGO (July 1, 2026) — Shield AI, the defense-tech company building the world’s best AI pilots and next-generation aircraft, today announced it is an official technology partner of 23XI Racing, one of the top teams competing in the NASCAR Cup Series team. 

As part of the partnership, Shield AI and 23XI Racing are integrating Shield AI’s Hivemind Benchmark, a software analytics tool that collects, processes and visualizes performance data to support driver development and post-race debriefs. As the partnership progresses, 23XI Racing will evaluate correlations between modeled and live race performance, generating data-driven insights that inform race strategy, driver development, and overall competitive performance. 

The partnership will be highlighted this weekend on Corey Heim’s No. 67 Toyota Camry XSE when the NASCAR Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway on July 5. Heim, who recently won his first career NASCAR Cup Series race, will compete at Chicagoland with Shield AI branding featured on his car. This will be Heim’s first-ever start at Chicagoland and the first time since 2019 that NASCAR has raced at the Joliet, Illinois, track. 

“We are fired up to bring our technology to 23XI Racing, delivering the same edge on the track that we deliver to the warfighter. Corey Heim is one of the most talented young drivers in the sport, and applying AI-driven analytics to his performance data and 23XI opens up new ways to push performance on and off the track. Doing it during America’s 250th year makes it even better,” said Brandon Tseng, president and co-founder of Shield AI and a former U.S. Navy SEAL.  

“Winning on the track begins at Airspeed, 23XI’s state-of-the-art headquarters, and a technology partner like Shield AI will help ensure our teams are prepared to perform at their best each weekend,” said Steve Lauletta, 23XI team president. “This partnership will provide our team with the cutting-edge innovation and technology needed to continue competing for wins and championships.”   

“Shield AI’s mission to protect those who serve our country is something I have a tremendous amount of respect for. The work they’re doing to help keep service members safe through cutting-edge technology is incredible, and it’s exciting to see how their AI and autonomy expertise can be applied in a completely different environment like racing,” said Heim. “I look forward to what our team can learn with Shield AI, and I’m excited to represent them at Chicagoland on a weekend that celebrates American independence.”  

About Shield AI: 

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai.  Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.   

Media Contact:  

Lily Hinz 

[email protected] 

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, 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 its first-ever victory. 23XI expanded to a two-car organization in 2022 with Cup Series Champion and Hall of Famer Kurt Busch driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry. With a win at Kansas Speedway in May of 2022, Busch earned 23XI the team’s first-ever playoff berth. Tyler Reddick joined the team in 2023 to drive the No. 45 car. In 2024, Reddick won the Regular Season Championship and raced to a spot in the Championship 4, a first for both the team and Reddick. In 2026, Reddick made history by winning the first three Cup Series races of the season, including the Daytona 500. 23XI currently features the lineup of Bubba Wallace in the No. 23 Toyota Camry XSE, Tyler Reddick in the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE and Riley Herbst in the No. 35 Toyota Camry XSE. Corey Heim currently serves as the team’s development driver and races occasionally in the No. 67 Toyota Camry XSE. The team operates out of Airspeed, a state-of-the-art facility in Huntersville, N.C.  

Media Contact:  

Davis Shaefer, 23XI Racing
202.421.5505
[email protected]