Cup Series teams and NASCAR are still negotiating charters. 23XI Racing, which currently runs two teams in the top-class series of NASCAR, heard about the negotiations and decided to have some fun. During the race where Bubba Wallace is performing exceptionally well by coming second in the first stage, one of his teammates was noticed wearing an interesting shirt.

What makes the shirt interesting is not the shirt itself, but the piece of paper pinned to it. On the Toyota shirt worn by Curtis Polk, MJ’s advisor, there was a message on the paper that read, “Please don’t ask me about my Charter. I don’t want to disparage NASCAR and lose it.” This hints toward the 23XI Racing crew looking to acquire a new charter as negotiations continue with NASCAR.

From what it seems, Polk has gotten into trouble for talking about a charter before it was confirmed. This time he decided to make it clear that others are not supposed to ask about the charter as it might end up costing the team. In the past, Michael Jordan stated that the sport would die without charters, and from what reports say, the negotiations have been going on for a while.

It was all fun and games until fans caught a glimpse of the paper and the contents of it. Once the image of Curtis Polk reached the internet, fans from all over started to notice and do the one thing that Polk asked not to do in his note.

Fans couldn’t help but discuss what the note asked them not to

One fan noticed some tension between the teams and NASCAR, saying, “I sense some disparity between the teams and @NASCAR.” They’re hinting at possible disagreements or issues during the negotiations.

Another person took it a step further, criticizing how big companies like NASCAR are set up. They said, “There may have been a time in American business when organizations were a good thing. But as time passes, we continue to see why we need to break up these large corporations and companies where only the top 1% make life-changing money while everyone else struggles.”

The charter system was introduced in 2016 to create stability and increase business certainty for teams. Currently, NASCAR Charter deals offer teams;

• Guaranteed Spot on the Grid
• Bigger Slice of the Prize Money
• Long-Term Security

The comment, however, suggests that only the top 1% are making big money, while everyone else is struggling, questioning if these large organizations are really good for society anymore.

Someone else chimed with the reaction, “We are about to have a lockout on the Daytona 500 because of NASCAR Greed.” This is the fan’s way of saying they’re worried the ongoing charter negotiations, which they see as driven by NASCAR’s greed, might cause a major disruption or even a lockout at the Daytona 500.

Another fan suggested that the message on Polk’s shirt, which showed support for the teams, should be more permanent, saying, “That should have been embroidered on their shirts. Stand with the teams.”

This year’s charter negotiations have been ongoing for several months. The discussions have been particularly intense as teams and NASCAR work through complex issues like financial stability, cost caps, and long-term guarantees. Owners including Denny Hamlin have highlighted the need for fairer revenue distribution and financial stability many times.

The 23XI co-owner said, “No negotiation has ever come easy, no one says ‘That’s what you want? Okay no problem, we’ll go ahead and back the Brinks truck up and we’ll just drop the money off to you’. It doesn’t work that way. Somebody has to feel pain for somebody to budge or move and I just think that at this point NASCAR does not feel threatened by the teams whatsoever.”

Lastly, someone pointed out the irony in Polk’s statement, saying, “He said so much, without saying anything at all.”

The ongoing charter negotiations are pivotal for 23XI Racing’s bid to add a third charter for the 2025 season. If the new agreement doesn’t guarantee permanent charters, Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan might reconsider running that third car. This decision could significantly impact their plans and the team’s future strategy.

That being said, where do you stand on the way NASCAR handles its charters? Share your thoughts in the comments below.