Imagine being Denny Hamlin, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing on the weekend, and competing against your own team on the track in 23XI Racing. It must be an odd feeling to have; however, it has never seemed to phase the 41-year-old. That is probably one of the perks of being able to work with one of the greatest athletes of all time, Michael Jordan.

Their journey as co-owners of 23XI Racing has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, picking up their first win in October 2021 with #23 Bubba Wallace becoming only the second African-American to notch a win in the Cup series. Fast forward to May 2024, and 23XI Racing has filed an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR, all amid a regular-season championship victory for #45 Tyler Reddick.

The lawsuit accuses NASCAR and CEO Jim France of monopolizing the racing industry and practices that hurt the level of competition. All of this stemmed from a disagreement over the 2025 charter deal, which not only involved 23XI Racing but Front Row Motorsports as well. The implications of this lawsuit could be severe if they lose. However, as per recent developments on the lawsuit, 23XI has filed for an injunction. As Denny Hamlin states, “That’s the first thing that has to happen, the injunction is basically we’re going to seek relief, and in injunctions, you typically have to show – again, I’m not a lawyer, so be careful here – you have to show irreparable harm if you don’t stop it.”

Their case is looking solid so far. Additionally, Michael Jordan is not a stranger to speaking out against an organization’s practices. He did it with Jerry Krause and the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, and now they are doing it with Jeffrey Kessler and a firm by their side against NASCAR. However, Hamlin sees the flip side of the coin as to how he would feel if it did not go their way.

“I’m happy because I have so much pride and I’m so competitive,” Denny Hamlin revealed to ESPN. “If this would have been a failure, it would have been pretty hard on me because of that, and I want to see things done the right way and I feel like if I do them the right way, I’ll have success. So, if this had not been a successful venture, it would have been tough on me and probably would have had a little burden on my driving, truthfully. But I think it’s given me more confidence in both.”

Currently, the No. 45 team is among the top 8 contenders for the next round of playoffs. Tyler Reddick this season has two sons along with consistent 19 top 10s and 11 top 5s. The team so far has good 7 victories in 139 races, which is also a reason for the team’s confidence going into the future.

Speaking of Denny Hamlin, he has always been a top competitor but has always just fallen short of the championship title. The veteran now has 54 race wins under his belt without a championship, a NASCAR record. Hamlin’s next best opportunity to win a Cup Series championship is as an owner, so it is understandable why he is under pressure.

To be fair, you can’t fault him for saying that, as he is 4th in the standings right now and has led the second most laps all season at 918, well behind first-place Kyle Larson with a staggering 1551 laps led. He also has the second most wins this season, with 3, behind Kyle Larson once again with 5 wins. Denny Hamlin clearly is still in contention for a title; the only question is, will all the noise from the lawsuit get to him?

Denny Hamlin’s take on the lawsuit against NASCAR

Everyone knows how stressful the last two charter negotiation years have been. Hamlin has felt the brunt of it as a driver but wants to change that as an owner. Being an owner means taking a stance for your organization against any possible threats, and that’s exactly what Hamlin and Jordan have done with their lawsuit.

On the Actions Detrimental Podcast, Hamlin said, “I’m not a lawyer, so be careful here — you have to show irreparable harm if you don’t stop it. We’re trying to stop NASCAR from taking our charters. Obviously, there would be massive irreparable harm there. We’re going to go to the courts and say listen, let us operate as a chartered team while this lawsuit goes on over the next year to two years.”

Hamlin intends to protect the teams from losing their charters and intends to do so by filing an injunction against the 2025 charter deal. There is also a scenario where 23XI Racing and FRM win the lawsuit and lose the charters. It is a rather perplexing state for Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, who have acknowledged its possibility and remain committed to the team’s long-term success. “If you lose your charters and you win the lawsuit, then what? You can’t go back. It’s going to be tough to operate that way. As 23XI, we’re prepared for any outcome, said Hamlin.

Sometimes, it’s tough to believe that amid all this drama, we are also getting to witness a riveting season full of incredible racing. Do you think 23XI will win the lawsuit, or will NASCAR go back to its non-charter days?