Denny Hamlin Stands Firm Amidst 23XI Racing’s Legal Battle with NASCAR
NASCAR racing team owner Denny Hamlin is standing firm despite a new legal setback, promising that “everything will be exposed” in the trial scheduled for December. This is part of 23XI Racing’s federal antitrust lawsuit against the auto racing series. A federal judge rejected a request from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to continue racing with their licenses while they dispute the lawsuit against NASCAR in court. This means that their six cars will compete as open entries this weekend in Dover, next week in Indianapolis, and possibly for longer, a measure that, according to the teams, could put them at risk of bankruptcy. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell denied the teams’ request for a temporary restraining order, stating that they will compete in races in the coming weeks and will not lose their drivers or sponsors before his decision on a preliminary injunction. Bell left open the possibility of reconsidering his decision if things change in the next two weeks. After this weekend, the affected cars might have to be classified by speed if 41 participants register, a possibility now that the starting positions have opened. The trial is scheduled for December 1st, but the two teams are fighting to be recognized as license holders for the current season, which has 16 races remaining. A license guarantees one of the 40 grid positions each week, as well as a base amount of money paid weekly.23XI, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan, and FRM filed their federal lawsuit against NASCAR last year after being the only two organizations out of 15 that rejected NASCAR’s license extension offer. Jordan and FRM owner Bob Jenkins obtained a court order to recognize 23XI and FRM as license holders for the season, but the decision was overturned on appeal earlier this month, returning the case to Bell. Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner and Joe Gibbs Racing driver, co-owns 23XI with Jordan and said they were prepared to send Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and Riley Herbst to the track each week as open teams. They requested the restraining order on Monday, alleging that through discovery they discovered that NASCAR planned to immediately begin the process of selling the six licenses, which would put “the plaintiffs in irreparable danger of never recovering their licenses and going bankrupt.” Hamlin stated that none of the setbacks have made him doubt the decision to file the lawsuit.If you want answers, you want to understand why all this is happening, on December 1st you will get the answers you seek. Everything will be exposed.
Denny Hamlin
Reddick, who has a clause that allows him to become a free agent if the team loses its license, declined to comment on Saturday about all questions related to his future and the lawsuit. Hamlin also declined to comment on Reddick’s future with 23XI Racing. Reddick, one of the four drivers remaining in the $1 million NASCAR season Challenge, was last year’s regular season champion and competed for the Cup Series championship in the season finale. But none of the six drivers affected by the court decision are assured for this year’s playoffs. It won’t be a problem to get into the grid this weekend at Dover, as less than the maximum 40 cars have been entered. But if 41 cars showed up anywhere this season, someone slow would be sent home, meaning loss of income and a missed opportunity to earn points in the standings.December 1st is the only thing that matters. Mark your calendar. I would love to be doing other things. I have a lot going on. When I get in the car (today), nothing else will matter but that. I always give my team 100%. I always prepare, whether I have side jobs, side hustles, more kids, all that matters, but I always give my team all the time they need to make sure that when I get in, I’m 100% committed.
Denny Hamlin
Smith, 24th in the standings and someone who would likely need a win to qualify for the NASCAR playoffs, said he supported Jenkins in his acrimonious legal battle that has overshadowed the stock car series for months. Smith said: “I leave all that to them, but my job is to get the best possible result with car number 38.”Nothing changes on my part, obviously, and nothing changes from within the workshop. Normally there aren’t even enough cars to worry about qualifying.
Zane Smith
