Denny Hamlin walked into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season with confidence. Despite the ongoing legal battle between his team, 23XI Racing, and NASCAR, he believed his team would be treated fairly on the racetrack. “I have no doubts we’ll be treated fairly on the racetrack,” Hamlin stated before the season opener. His words carried a sense of optimism as if he believed the legal fight wouldn’t impact how his team was treated on race weekends.

Notably, Hamlin and 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan, had sued NASCAR on anti-trust grounds, arguing that it was monopolistic and unfair to race teams. Alongside Front Row Motorsports (FRM), they refused to sign the 2025 charter agreement, claiming it limited their financial opportunities. In initial hearings, NASCAR faced setbacks as a US Court allowed both teams to continue without signing the charter deal.

However, NASCAR had other ideas. Instead of keeping things professional on the track, the governing body hit back in the courtroom. Ahead of the Phoenix Spring race week, NASCAR has filed a counter-lawsuit against the 23XI and other plaintiffs. The sanctioning body accused 23XI, FRM, and their key figure, Curtis Polk, of violating competition laws. They even called this a move of ‘extortion.’

NASCAR slams Michael Jordan’s right hand with major allegations

After a defeat in round one of the ongoing legal battle, NASCAR has made its most aggressive move yet. On Wednesday, the stock car series filed a counterclaim against 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, accusing them of violating antitrust laws. According to NASCAR, these teams didn’t just reject the 2025 Charter Agreement—they engaged in a campaign of threats, coercion, and manipulation to force NASCAR into giving them better financial terms.

The lawsuit specifically targeted Curtis Polk, Michael Jordan’s longtime business partner and a co-owner of 23XI Racing. NASCAR’s claims suggest Polk played a major role in orchestrating a collective effort among teams to pressure the sanctioning body into concessions. The governing body alleges that Polk used his influence to unite team owners, encouraging them to take actions that could damage NASCAR’s business.

In a 30-page application, NASCAR states, “Rather than simply rejecting the 2025 Charter terms, 23XI and FRM allegedly pursued a strategy of threats, coercion, and extortion to force NASCAR into meeting their financial and contractual demands… NASCAR contends that it is actually 23XI, FRM, and 23XI’s owner, Curtis Polk, who violated antitrust laws by orchestrating collective conduct among teams during the 2025 Charter negotiations. Additionally, Polk is accused of coercing other team owners into staying unified in opposition to NASCAR.”

Notably, Curtis Polk isn’t just another team executive. He’s been Michael Jordan’s right-hand man for decades, helping manage the NBA legend’s business empire. Polk played a critical role in Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets ownership and later helped bring him into NASCAR through 23XI Racing. His background in professional sports made him a powerful figure in sport’s evolving business landscape.

But, NASCAR now paints him as a villain. According to the sanctioning body, Polk wasn’t just advocating for 23XI Racing’s interests—he was allegedly leading a movement to force them into financial concessions that could disrupt the entire structure of the sport. According to NASCAR, Polk used aggressive tactics, including threatening a boycott of televised qualifying races, running negative media campaigns against them, Pressuring team owners to remain united against the league, and secretly negotiating with media partners to influence broadcast deals. If true, this could have long-term consequences for how teams negotiate with the governing body in the future.

Notably, in initial hearings, NASCAR faced multiple setbacks. In December 2024, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell allowed them to race in the 2025 season as chartered teams while the lawsuit continued. This was a huge setback for NASCAR, which had tried to block their participation. However, in their latest move, the defendants have asked the court to eliminate their charter run if teams continue to fight legal battles. Meanwhile, they have also dismissed Richard Childress’s accusation regarding the charter deal.

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While the legal drama unfolds, veteran team owner Richard Childress recently weighed in on the controversy. Speaking on The Dale Jr. Download podcast, Childress admitted that he felt pressured to sign the 2025 Charter Agreement. “We received it hours before and had a deadline to sign it. I signed it because I had to. I have sponsors, I have everything out there.” His comments suggested that some teams felt rushed into signing the agreement, with little room for negotiation.

However, in their recent counterclaim, NASCAR has dismissed his claims. The organization pointed out that negotiations for the 2025 Charter had been ongoing for years, not days. The governing body stated that team owners originally approached NASCAR in 2022, requesting early discussions on financial terms. They then worked with teams over multiple seasons, making several concessions along the way.

“Some suggested that the negotiations were rushed, leaving teams insufficient time to evaluate the Charter terms. However, these negotiations spanned years and were more extensive and inclusive than those that originally established the Charter system,” claims NASCAR. The governing body also maintained that the new agreement gave teams increased revenue shares and other benefits. Making it the most generous charter system in the sport’s history.

In NASCAR’s eyes, 23XI and FRM were simply trying to strong-arm them into giving them even more. As the lawsuit moves forward, both sides remain locked in a high-stakes fight. If NASCAR wins its counterclaim, it could force 23XI and FRM to abandon their lawsuit or face severe penalties. But, it will be interesting to see how the two teams respond to NASCAR’s allegations.