Denny Hamlin Confía en el Caso Antitrust contra NASCAR
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Driver Denny Hamlin expressed his confidence in the case presented by his team 23XI Racing, co-owned with NBA legend Michael Jordan, and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR, alleging violations of antitrust laws.Hamlin made these statements after a three-judge federal panel indicated the possibility of overturning a court order that allows 23XI and Front Row to compete as charter teams, while his lawsuit against the auto racing series continues in court.
“We are quite confident in our case.”
Denny Hamlin
The teams filed the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR on October 2 in the Western District of North Carolina, arguing that the series pressured the teams to sign participation rights agreements, which are essentially franchise agreements, that hinder financial competition.
These were the only two teams out of the 15 that hold participation rights that refused to sign the agreements in September.
The most recent extension of the charter rights lasts until 2031, coinciding with the current media rights agreement. The most significant benefit of these rights is that they guarantee 36 of the 40 available positions in each NASCAR race to the teams that own them.
If the court order is revoked, 23XI and Front Row would compete as “open teams,” meaning they would have to qualify for each Cup event. However, there are only four open spots, and 23XI had four cars in Kansas this week: Bubba Wallace, Riley Herbst, Tyler Reddick, and Corey Heim, and Front Row had three with Noah Gragson, Zane Smith, and Todd Gilliland.
NASCAR’s attorney, Chris Yates, argued that the injunction, granted in December by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, forced the series into an unwanted relationship with unwilling partners and harms other teams because they make less money. He also said that the teams should not have the benefits of the participation rights system they are suing to overturn.
“It will wreak havoc to revoke this court order in the middle of the season.”
Jeffrey Kessler, lawyer for 23XI and Front Row
There is a trial date set for December, and Judge Steven Agee urged the parties to meet for mediation, previously ordered by a lower court, to try to resolve the dispute over the injunction. But that seems unlikely.
