In a surprising development during a high-profile courtroom proceeding, Denny Hamlin disclosed that he earns approximately $14 million per year from Joe Gibbs Racing. This significant Joe Gibbs Racing salary disclosure occurred as Hamlin was being cross-examined by NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman, adding a new layer of intrigue to the ongoing antitrust trial.
Hamlin, one of NASCAR’s most successful veterans, took the stand as the first witness early in the trial. Throughout the morning, he faced pointed questions from NASCAR’s legal team about the financial operations of 23XI, the team he co-owns, and his own earnings from JGR. Media updates from the courtroom remained sparse, with strict restrictions on devices for journalists, but news of Hamlin’s admission quickly emerged.
“@NASCAR external counsel Lawrence Buterman said 23XI/FRM are asking for $205 million in damages, that this would be a 900% ROI from what 23XI has invested and grilled @DennyHamlin about whether that is a fair ROI. Hamlin also confirmed his JGR salary is around $14M annually.”
— Adam Stern, Sports Business Journal reporter
This revelation put a spotlight on the financial side of top-tier auto racing, showing how salary figures, normally kept confidential in NASCAR, can surface through legal actions. With Hamlin’s two-decade tenure and record as one of the winningest drivers, his high earnings both reflect his value on the track and raise questions about broader implications for the sport’s salary landscape.
Financial Questions and Broader Context of the Trial
The courtroom session continued with a focus on money matters tied to both 23XI Racing and its prominent figures. The attorneys pressed Hamlin about loans from Michael Jordan, another co-owner of the team, and the broader operations at the AirSpeed shop. These exchanges revealed how the legal confrontation is less about racing and more about complex financial relationships, investments, and damage claims. The $205 million in damages requested by 23XI/FRM, cited as a potential 900% return on investment, was central to NASCAR counsel Lawrence Buterman’s questioning of Hamlin.
As the trial is just beginning, Hamlin’s testimony marks only the start. More witnesses connected to NASCAR, the teams, and ownership structures are expected to take the stand, with the jury eventually determining the outcome based on the financial and organizational evidence presented by both sides.
The fact that Hamlin’s salary was made public under these circumstances is already noteworthy, particularly given the sharp contrast between what elite drivers earned earlier in his career and today’s numbers. Reference was made in the proceedings to Kyle Larson, another major driver, who has previously remarked that his own income is less than half of what top racers used to receive. This adds to the uneasy atmosphere about the economics of racing.
The Impact of Salary Transparency on Joe Gibbs Racing and NASCAR
Unlike the NBA or NFL, where player earnings are routinely disclosed, NASCAR drivers’ contracts remain mostly private with no formal restrictions against sharing salary information. The sudden public disclosure of a figure as large as $14 million for Hamlin, after nearly twenty years in the Cup Series, could signal major shifts ahead for how teams negotiate and retain talent. The sport’s history of informal agreements and “poaching” is illustrated by Tyler Reddick’s early move from Richard Childress Racing to 23XI, as well as Kyle Busch’s subsequent team changes in response. These dynamics create uncertainty about whether public salary awareness will influence negotiations for drivers like Christopher Bell or Chase Briscoe, or undermine Joe Gibbs Racing’s leverage in future deals.
As the trial unfolds, the disclosure has ignited debate among teams, drivers, and industry insiders. Questions persist whether other organizations might use this figure as a benchmark, putting upward pressure on salaries or encouraging teams to beat JGR’s offers. For now, the long-term ramifications for Joe Gibbs Racing, as well as the wider NASCAR ecosystem, remain unknown, but the tension over financial transparency is likely to keep building as more details come out in court.
.@NASCAR external counsel Lawrence Buterman said 23XI/FRM are asking for $205 million in damages, that this would be a 900% ROI from what 23XI has invested and grilled @DennyHamlin about whether that is a fair ROI.
➡️ Hamlin also confirmed his JGR salary is around $14M annually.
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) December 2, 2025
