Denny Hamlin is calling out what he sees as a huge conflict of interest at the top amid the NASCAR charter dispute. The veteran driver and co-owner of 23XI Racing recently went after NASCAR’s top leadership, specifically CEO Jim France, over a plan that has put some tension in the garage.
The main reason is a planned race entry at Sonoma Raceway for the Cup Series, believed to be funded (at least in part) by NASCAR CEO Jim France and tied closely to Rick Hendrick through Spire Motorsports’ alliance with Hendrick Motorsports.
That didn’t sit well with many, including Denny Hamlin, who made his feelings known on his Actions Detrimental podcast. “I fought very, very hard and opposed the fact that the France family could own charters,” he said. “I think that’s just wildly conflict of interest.”
The Sonoma entry would’ve had IMSA driver Jack Aitken in a Spire car but with deep ties to Hendrick Motorsports and France’s money, the optics were ugly. NASCAR hasn’t fielded a car under its own name since 1972 and this felt to many like the start of something big and not in a good way. However, after the criticism, Jim France decided not to go ahead with the entry.
Charter System at the Center of the Storm
All of this is happening while 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are in a lawsuit with NASCAR over the charter system. The teams are saying NASCAR’s handling of the charters ( which secure 36 of the 40 spots on the grid ) is monopolistic and unfair. NASCAR has countersued, saying the teams are trying to be an “illegal cartel” and meddle with media deals.
For Denny Hamlin, it’s extra complicated. He co-owns 23XI but also drives the #11 car for Joe Gibbs Racing which has signed the new charter agreement. He said juggling both roles isn’t easy: “I really can’t speak on this because obviously the lawsuit and lawyers are very, very sensitive to this stuff right now and anything you say will be used against you in the court of law.”
But the veteran driver is standing his ground. Denny Hamlin has been vocal about needing more transparency and a system where team owners can actually make their investment back . And have a say in how the sport is run.
With the trial set to start in December the pressure is building. What happens next could change the power structure of NASCAR and how the sport operates behind the scenes.
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