23XI Racing has suspended employee Evanna Howell following her arrest on felony assault charges tied to an incident at Charlotte Motor Speedway during Coca-Cola 600 weekend.
According to arrest records, Howell — identified as a senior account manager for the NASCARCup Series organization — was charged May 26 with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
Police allege the incident occurred May 23 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Howell intentionally struck a 77-year-old man with a golf cart, resulting in serious injuries.
Court records show Howell was later released after posting bond following an initial court appearance. Another court date is scheduled for June 16.
In a statement released Wednesday, 23XI Racing confirmed Howell has been suspended indefinitely while the legal process moves forward.
Another Off-Track Issue for 23XI Racing
The situation marks an unexpected off-track development for one of NASCAR’s most visible organizations.
23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and veteran Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin, has become one of the sport’s fastest-growing teams since debuting in 2021.
The organization currently fields Cup Series entries for Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst.
Neither Jordan nor Hamlin had publicly addressed the situation as of Thursday afternoon.
Because Howell worked in a business-facing role within the organization rather than competition operations, the arrest is not expected to impact the team’s on-track lineup heading into Nashville Superspeedway race weekend.
23XI Remains in the Middle of the Playoff Battle
Despite the off-track distraction, 23XI Racing remains firmly in the middle of the Cup Series playoff picture as the season heads into the summer stretch.
Reddick currently leads the Cup Series standings thanks to his five victories this season, while Wallace continues battling near the playoff cutline as the summer stretch approaches.
Over the past several seasons, 23XI has emerged as one of NASCAR’s premier Toyota organizations, earning race wins and establishing itself as a consistent weekly contender.
For now, however, attention around the organization has temporarily shifted away from competition following the arrest and suspension announcement.
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