The high-profile antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR officially goes to trial on Monday, setting the stage for a confrontation that could alter the landscape of stock car racing. Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, has voiced sharp criticism of the media’s coverage, putting his Denny Hamlin NASCAR lawsuit reaction at the center of Sunday’s fierce debate around the sport’s power dynamics.
Courtroom Battle Begins as Teams Challenge NASCAR Authority
The long-anticipated legal fight between two prominent race teams—23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports—and NASCAR will now unfold in a courtroom, bringing years of tension over the sport’s governing model into public view. The teams initiated the lawsuit in October 2024, following the breakdown of NASCAR’s charter plan negotiations. Both groups claim the proposal did not address their fundamental concerns, and the resulting court case has forced racing organizations and fans to closely examine NASCAR’s business practices and relationships with the teams.
Hamlin Criticizes Media Narratives and Defends the Teams’ Position
As coverage of the lawsuit intensified ahead of the trial, Denny Hamlin responded to how reporters and media officials presented the story. He openly challenged their interpretation and motivations through social media, accusing them of obscuring the teams’ purpose in pursuing legal action. Hamlin asserted that stories leading up to the trial misrepresented why the lawsuit was filed and failed to address what he believes are NASCAR’s deeper motivations. He made it clear that he, Michael Jordan, and Bob Jenkins are adamantly contesting what they see as long-standing injustices in the sport’s system.
“Please give credit to @mforde for helping you write this propaganda piece that they want pushed to switch the narrative. Continuous lies about our stance, NASCAR’s motives for its actions, and continued message from the sanctioning body that everything is fine. Our fans know better.”
— Denny Hamlin, Co-owner of 23XI Racing
Hamlin’s message targeted both the reporting process and the official communications coming from the governing body. He expressed significant mistrust of the narratives circulated by what he called a media establishment intimidated by NASCAR’s influence.
“Our fans have been brainwashed with their talking points for decades. Narratives pushed by media who are intimidated by them. Lies are over starting Monday morning. It’s time for the truth. It’s time for change,”
— Denny Hamlin, Co-owner of 23XI Racing
Allegations of Monopoly Power and Internal Struggles Surface
The legal complaint at the core of this conflict claims that NASCAR holds undue monopoly power over the sport. The lawsuit points to evidence such as text messages between senior officials like Steve O’Donnell and Steve Phelps, where top leadership allegedly discussed undermining Tony Stewart’s SRX racing series and disparaged veteran figures like Richard Childress. These are offered as signs of a leadership unwilling to share influence or revenue with other organizations.
Beyond the issue of competition, the teams argue that the current charter system is skewed in NASCAR’s favor. The sanctioning body owns nearly all the racing venues, yet, according to team representatives, invests minimally in their maintenance or improvement. They maintain that NASCAR retains a disproportionate slice of revenues, while distribution to teams like 23XI Racing, led by Hamlin and Michael Jordan, as well as Front Row Motorsports under Bob Jenkins, remains limited. The rationale, the teams argue, is masked as operational costs and facility support, but the actual benefits appear to flow mostly to the sanctioning authority itself.
What the Outcome Could Mean for NASCAR’s Future
The trial, which is expected to unfold over the course of 21 days, has the potential to transform long-standing relationships and business structures within the sport. Because appeals are anticipated from whichever side loses the opening round, a full resolution to the teams’ accusations may still be months or years away. For now, however, NASCAR faces an intensely scrutinized legal drama that will test not only the legality of its control over stock car racing—but also the openness of its media environment and the loyalty of its fan base.
The outcome of the trial could either usher in significant changes to how race teams and officials collaborate and share revenue, or affirm the dominance of a system that critics like Hamlin believe has limited the growth and diversity of the sport. As Denny Hamlin NASCAR lawsuit reaction continues to draw attention, the industry, media officials, and fans alike are now forced to reckon with issues of fairness, power, and transparency that have shaped NASCAR for generations.
Please give credit to @mforde for helping you write this propaganda piece that they want pushed to switch the narrative. Continuous lies about our stance, NASCARs motives for its actions, and continued message from the sanctioning body that everything is fine. Our fans know…
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) November 28, 2025
Our fans have been brainwashed with their talking points for decades. Narratives pushed by media who are intimidated by them.
Lies are over starting Monday morning.
It’s time for the truth. It’s time for change.— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) November 28, 2025
