By KEN BELSON New York Times
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When Michael Jordan and his right-hand man, Curtis Polk, bought a NASCAR team in 2020 with driver Denny Hamlin, they were prepared to endure short-term losses. Drivers, mechanics and a sales staff had to be hired. The Next Generation cars that were introduced in 2022 would cost top teams about $18 million a year to run before paying a driver, and their team, 23XI, had two. Paying for a new building to house the cars would cost tens of millions of dollars more.