NASCAR and the 23XI Racing team are locked in a fierce legal battle. The conflict centers on allegations that NASCAR’s charter system allows it to maintain an anti-competitive monopoly. While the situation had been simmering during the discovery phase since the summer, tensions reached a boiling point during a hearing on Thursday in Charlotte, North Carolina. This session revealed text messages in which 23XI co-owners Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan expressed their contempt for the France family, owners of NASCAR, and their frustration with the cooperation of other teams, respectively.
A Legal Conflict Escalating
The discovery process allowed each party to access the other’s communications, bringing these messages to light. They collectively illustrate the animosity present in this legal fight. The conflict officially began in October 2024 when 23XI filed a complaint for anti-competitive practices against NASCAR and the France family. The organization retaliated in March 2025 with a counterclaim, accusing 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports of forming an “illegal cartel” by interfering with broadcast negotiations and organizing a boycott among the teams.
Blunt and Unfiltered Messages
Among the most direct messages are those from Denny Hamlin and 23XI President Steve Lauletta. Hamlin stated: “In short, I am ready to fight NASCAR. My contempt for the France family is deep, but whatever we do, let’s not sabotage our own business on principle. I love you all and thank you for allowing me to be a part of this.” Steve Lauletta responded on June 6, 2024: “I would like to know what to do and what is the best investment path. Staying for the long term and waiting for Jim [France, NASCAR CEO] to die is probably the answer.”
Long-Standing Tensions and Deep-Seated Discontent
Although the legal proceedings began less than a year ago, the dispute dates back further. Denny Hamlin had publicly criticized the charter system as early as February 2023, arguing for a “permanent” guarantee of race participation to preserve the teams’ value. Michael Jordan echoed this sentiment in May 2024, warning: “If you don’t fix this, the sport will die—not because of the competition, but because it makes no economic sense for businesspeople.”
Michael Jordan’s Anger Over Lack of Support
23XI Racing deliberately refused to sign the new charter agreement last year. Text messages reveal that Michael Jordan hoped other teams would follow suit. A conversation with his partner Curtis Polk, after learning that Joe Gibbs Racing had signed at the last minute, is telling:
“Gibbs signed?” asked Jordan.
“Yep,” replied Polk. “Looks like they threw him a bone at the last minute.”
Jordan’s response was unequivocal: “Motherfuckers!!! People understand our fight. The teams will regret not supporting us. Assholes!!!!!”
NASCAR Also Under Scrutiny
NASCAR’s leadership was not spared. Messages from its top officials were also exposed. Commissioner Steve Phelps described negotiations with the teams as “abysmal,” adding that the charters “must reflect a middle ground or we are dead—they will sign them but we are screwed for the future.” President Steve O’Donnell, for his part, expressed his dissatisfaction with an initial proposal, stating it would have set NASCAR back to its 1996 state, which he described as “fuck the teams, dictatorship, motorsport, redneck, southern, small-time sport.”
Michael Jordan’s Unwavering Determination
Following the hearing, Michael Jordan delivered a rare statement to the media, reaffirming his determination: “I have been a fan of this game for a long time. From the beginning, I said I wanted to fight for the improvement of the sport. This is not about money. The sport itself must continually evolve for the fans, the teams, and NASCAR itself, if they understand it. I will fight to the end for the good of the sport.”