Folks, amid the 2025 season kicking off, the NASCAR lawsuit got a bit sidelined. But recently, there has been a chain of events that has left 23XI Racing owner and NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin upset. But before we get into that, here’s a quick refresher: 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR, accusing them of monopolistic practices. Meanwhile, the team also asked the court for a preliminary injunction. This meant they got all the same rights of a charter team (cut in race purse, guaranteed entry in all races, and more). While continuing their legal battle against NASCAR. And this injunction request was accepted. But recently, NASCAR made a different move.

So, after the injunction request was accepted, NASCAR thought of throwing the whole case out by filing a motion to dismiss. But the court thrashed that motion by instead setting a date for a trial on December 1st. But the racing organization did not want to sit still till then, so they filed a countersuit against the teams, followed by which NASCAR also held its first formal media availability since the lawsuit began. Naturally, NASCAR’s comments on this whole case were big news for journalists. But amid reporting them, one journalist has Denny Hamlin all riled up.

Denny Hamlin’s social media banter with Claire Lang

To put it simply, NASCAR is accusing the teams of conspiracy. And they have blamed 23XI owner Curtis Polk as the one starting it. NASCAR claims, “Polk’s individual role was at the very center of the plot to use collusive behavior to extract more favorable commercial terms from NASCAR in the Charter negotiations.” As reported by RACER, ‘according to NASCAR, the conspiracy was done through, efforts were made through the media, interfering with NASCAR’s broadcast agreement negotiations. And threatening to boycott events, engaging in a group boycott of a team owner council meeting.’

After this, NASCAR held a press conference led by Chris Yates (NASCAR’s attorney). Later, journalist Clair Lang posted a few questions asked there and Chris Yates’s responses to them on her X handle. She wrote, “‘Q. Could you just expand on the note of the media rights share has increased to 49% for teams? Can you expand on how that compares to what 23XI and Front Row are asking for or what they think is a fair option there? CHRIS YATES: So, it’s increased substantially over time. Up to 49% from in the high 30s in the 2016 agreement. I don’t know what they think is fair. They have never explained that. I have no idea what they think the appropriate split should be…But the split is more than fair. As I said, it’s a substantial increase over time. … In every negotiation, people always want more. At some point, you need to reach an agreement and move on.'” 

There was another question where Yates was asked about the boycott claims. To which he responded saying, “23XI and Front Row did not sign the agreements, and instead chose to sue NASCAR, alleging baseless monopolization claims. That is why NASCAR is suing 23XI, Front Row, and the person who organized the boycotts and conspiracy, Mr. Polk.” And Denny Hamlin, reading this post from Lang, found what Yates was saying factually incorrect. Hamlin, being Hamlin, replied with a sly comment: “You should have a fact checker in the room at all times.”

But Lang held her ground against the veteran, stating that she had in the past posted even his comments on the whole thing. And that this is just her attempt to give out both sides of the story. In another post, Lang wrote, “Yea. I get statements from 23XI and Front Row Motorsports lawyer (posted that yesterday) also re- posted your post about you helping to promote NASCAR yesterday. This is NASCAR lawyer’s answers to media questions yesterday that I posted today. I try hard to fairly put both sides out. I am sure it is hard knowing the inner workings of it all, and it must be frustrating to read & want to say more. You have always been very forthcoming. Pride myself on presenting all sides.”

Well, Lang, being a journalist, was just giving out the information to her audience. But, all this started with Yates making those comments in the press. And recently, even the teams gave a response to Yates’s claims.

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23XI, FRM hits back at Chris Yates

Yates claimed that NASCAR had never been clear with its demands and that there was a conspiracy. But representing the teams, Jeffrey Kessler had a response ready, “Today’s counterclaim by NASCAR is a meritless distraction and a desperate attempt to shift attention away from its own unlawful, monopolistic actions.” According to Kessler, when the whole Charter debate was going on last year, NASCAR had agreed to joint negotiations with the teams. But that did not work out. Then, they started one-on-one negotiations, pressuring the team to sign the charters.

We know that 13 teams signed those agreements. And, like Kessler mentions, some team owners claimed that they were pressured to sign the charter agreement. Remember when Richard Childress said, “We got our docusign that evening (Sept. 6) at 6:37, and we had to sign it by 12 o’clock or we’d lose our charters. I didn’t have a choice. We had to sign. I have over 400 employees, OEM contracts, contracts with sponsors, and I have to take care of my team.” So whether it was NASCAR pressuring the teams or Polk-led 23XI Racing, remains to be decided.

Anyway, Kessler claims that the intention of the teams in this lawsuit has always been for the betterment of the sport and its stakeholders. And that they are confident in presenting all the facts in the trial, “My clients’ lawsuit has always been about transforming NASCAR into a more competitive and fair sport for the benefit of drivers, fans, sponsors, and teams because of their love of the sport. Every major sport goes through a transition to competition when antitrust claims are asserted, and that moment has come for NASCAR. Today’s baseless filing changes nothing. We are confident in the strength of our case and look forward to presenting it at trial,” he added.

Folks, what do you think of where the lawsuit currently stands? Do you think Denny overreacted a bit in his banter with the journalist? Share your thoughts in the comments below.