Late last night, NASCAR filed new documents with the district court, including statements from various team owners, a move that 23XI Racing team owner Denny Hamlin welcomed. Hamlin believes the latest filing strengthens his side’s argument in the ongoing Denny Hamlin NASCAR lawsuit.
Several team owners, including those from open teams, submitted declarations as part of NASCAR’s filing. Their statements echoed a shared view, regardless of whether their teams hold charters. The consensus was that charters help teams financially and that they want these charters to be maintained as long-term or permanent fixtures.
Hamlin initially reacted to the filing on Twitter but later addressed the media at Charlotte, responding directly about the lawsuit’s most recent developments.
You know, for them, I thought that it was truthfully more helpful for us than it was for them,
Hamlin said, as reported by Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.
But I mean, [the team owners] said they were asked to do it.
Despite NASCAR’s attempt to secure a summary judgment that would dismiss the case, the filing appears unlikely to disrupt the positions of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. The court’s previous statements suggest it may be difficult for NASCAR to have the case thrown out, though final outcomes will depend on how the court is persuaded.
Contradictions in NASCAR’s Latest Legal Submission
What stands out about the recent NASCAR filing is the inclusion of team owner statements that, somewhat surprisingly, contradict NASCAR’s own earlier positions in the lawsuit. These declarations argue in favor of the charter system, a stance that NASCAR has inconsistently supported throughout the case.
For NASCAR, charters have often been portrayed as a take-it-or-leave-it system. Hamlin highlighted this inconsistency by sharing a quote from NASCAR’s attorney, Christopher Yates:
NASCAR would be perfectly fine going back to that (pre-charter) model.
Hamlin clarifies that neither 23XI Racing nor Front Row Motorsports has requested that charters be revoked or altered. These teams did not sign the charters because doing so would have forfeited their right to pursue legal action against NASCAR. Their lawsuit doesn’t challenge the charter system as inherently anti-competitive; rather, it focuses on other business practices.
Legal Issues Focus on NASCAR’s Business Practices, Not Charters
The central argument in the lawsuit involves claims that NASCAR’s practices violate antitrust laws. Specifically, Hamlin’s team and its lawyers argue against NASCAR’s single-source parts policy, its ownership of a majority of major racetracks, the purchase of ARCA, restrictions limiting Cup Series drivers from racing in lower-tier series, and control over intellectual property related to the Next Gen car.
These concerns speak to NASCAR’s broader control over the sport’s competitive and business environment. By consolidating power through such practices, the suit alleges NASCAR operates as a monopsony — a market condition where there is only one buyer, reducing competition unfairly.
Given the court’s previous statements during ongoing proceedings, the path to dismissal seems challenging for NASCAR. The lawsuit will continue to unfold over the coming months, with key decisions expected later this year.
The outcome could have lasting implications for NASCAR’s governance and operational structure, potentially reshaping how teams compete and how NASCAR handles control over the sport’s essential components.
Denny Hamlin on NASCAR submitting declarations from several team owners urging to keep the charter system and for the lawsuit by his 23XI team and FRM against NASCAR to be resolved. pic.twitter.com/PmMadJgbgD
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 4, 2025
