“We knew we were going to have a reset,” NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps said in early November. He referred to the drop in NASCAR’s TV ratings for the 2025 season, affected by the broadcast changes. However, a month after the championship weekend, deeper faults are visible in the sport. They were revealed on the first day of the NASCAR lawsuit’s trial, which featured Denny Hamlin.

Exposing Denny Hamlin’s and NASCAR’s scars

A jury of six men and three women was selected for the NASCAR lawsuit’s trial phase. Seated inside a federal courthouse in Charlotte, North Carolina, these individuals’ statements were shocking for the NASCAR community. Before the jury selection, most of the prospective jurors knew little about the case itself or even NASCAR. Only three of 23 remaining candidates at one point said they had even heard of the lawsuit, and three of the remaining 19 people later said they were race fans.

“It might have been rough for some to hear but I do believe the jurors when they say they don’t follow NASCAR or don’t know much about it. Many are transplants from other cities and if you aren’t in the area north of the city, it isn’t like people are talking NASCAR all the time,” journalist Bob Pockrass wrote on X.

This revelation exacerbates the already declining situation of the sport’s popularity. The NASCAR Cup Series experienced a 14 percent drop in television ratings for the 2025 season. The championship race at Phoenix Raceway drew 2.77 million viewers on NBC, down from the 2.9 million it drew last year.

Accompanied by this revelation was Denny Hamlin‘s tough time in the witness stand. The 60-time Cup Series race winner and co-owner of 23XI Racing delivered his testimony for a duration of 40 minutes. It included 23XI’s $8 million payment to Joe Gibbs Racing for its alliance, and Hamlin testifying that 11 out of the original 19 charter teams that signed the original 2016 agreement no longer operate as they did. When jurors asked Hamlin about his season, he joked about pleading the Fifth Amendment. Yet he went on to explain his ailing father’s struggles to pay for his career.

“Court done for today. Opening statements and about 40 minutes of Denny Hamlin testimony. Hamlin teared up when talking about his family investing in his racing,” Bob Pockrass wrote. A fan took Hamlin’s side: “Asking about Denny’s season is like putting salt in the wound. That’s horrible, and I don’t even like Denny.”

Clearly, the NASCAR lawsuit’s first day of trial ended with shocking elements for fans. However, one endearing element was also present.

Validating the NBA legend’s presence

Although Denny Hamlin had a tough time on Monday, his co-owner had a different experience. Michael Jordan, a 6-time NBA champion and Chicago Bulls legend, can give goosebumps to anybody when he walks into a room. Although he is going up against a 77-year-old stock car racing enterprise, Jordan’s fame knows no bounds. The ultra sports star had that impact on some of the prospective jurors, who confessed to being fans and were thereby dismissed. That’s what Jenna Fryer, covering the trial for the Associated Press, explained in detail.

“Jordan’s presence in the courtroom was a factor: Among those dismissed from serving on the jury was a man who said he can’t be impartial because ‘I like Mike’ and another who said he had Michael Jordan posters on his walls growing up. A third dismissed juror pointed and winked at Jordan as he left the courtroom while the juror said they were a North Carolina fan but noted the football team at Jordan’s alma mater “aren’t doing too well right now’’ to which the retired star shook his head and laughed, Fryer tweeted.

Clearly, Michael Jordan would turn heads no matter which direction the NASCAR lawsuit takes. Let’s wait and see what unfolds in the following days.