Chaos is an understatement. The heated battle between NASCAR and two of its teams centers on a federal antitrust lawsuit against the stock car racing powerhouse. And this Thursday, something new has erupted into public view. During a court hearing, profanity-laden emails and text messages from NASCAR’s top levels, like Steve O’Donnell and other key figures, were revealed. In one of the exchanges, the retired NBA star and 23XI Racing owner Michael Jordan used harsh language to describe the teams that signed NASCAR’s new charter agreements last September. And now the NASCAR judges are scrambling all over the place trying to resolve this issue. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

The gloves are off. The two sides squared off in court today over the injunction request, and by all accounts, the hearing was nothing short of explosive. NASCAR, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports are done playing nice. And now, NASCAR revealed plans to sell one of the team’s charters, prompting them to seek an injunction to restore their charter status and block the sale. Until now, most of the discovery exchange in the case has been kept under wraps, something the judge didn’t seem too happy about. But once certain text messages came to light during the hearing, it became crystal clear that both camps were desperate to keep this evidence away from public view.

One bombshell message from NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps bluntly stated that the previously proposed charter agreement offered “zero wins for the teams.” In another message, he wrote that charters “must reflect a middle position or we are dead in the water — they will sign them but we are (expletive) moving forward.” Then came Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s President, who also was not essentially a fan of the earlier version because it would return NASCAR’s model to 1996 terms with an attitude of “F— the teams, dictatorship, motorsport, redneck, southern, tiny sport.”

Not to be outdone, 23XI Racing’s co-owner Michael Jordan let loose in a text of his own, ripping into teams that had signed the charter agreement back then. He branded Joe Gibbs Racing as “f——“ for signing and dismissed the rest as “p——“ for failing to push back against NASCAR’s demands.

Another message from Denny Hamlin took aim at the France family, including NASCAR CEO Jim France, declaring that his “despise for the France family runs deep.” Meanwhile, Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI, didn’t hold back either, saying the only solution to the sport’s problem was “Jim France dying.”

In a separate revelation, reports surface that NASCAR was eager to move forward without the Cup Series teams entirely if a charter deal wasn’t reached after the 2024 season. Their alleged plan? Lean on the Truck Series and Xfinity Series while blocking the Cup teams from forming their own rival series by locking them out of race tracks.

The judge didn’t issue a ruling on the injunction today, saying that the decision will arrive next week. But he did have a stark warning for both camps: if a settlement isn’t reached, this will head to trial, and “if either side thinks they are guaranteed a win, they are wrong.” 

The judge also questioned why NASCAR has the ability to issue a 37th charter; even with teams holding the right to 1st refusal, they couldn’t simply go ahead and do it. And if the charter in question belonged to 23XI Racing or Front Row Motorsports, why couldn’t the teams be granted that 37th spot if they won the case? Another revelation from today’s hearing was that if NASCAR were to sell one of the charters 23XI/FRM had purchased from Stewart-Haas Racing, then 23XI/FRM would be reimbursed for the amount they originally paid.

It is an ugly standoff, and right now neither party seems remotely interested in finding an exit ramp before things escalate even further. Before today’s hearing, the federal judge blew off NASCAR’s baseless accusations earlier this month, but after today’s revelation, nothing will go unnoticed by the judges involved, and Denny Hamlin has a different take on the whole issue.

Denny Hamlin isn’t concerned about the court hearings

Following NASCAR’s successful court appeal that stripped 23XI Racing and FRM of their charter benefits, both teams have been competing this season as open entries. The move sparked speculation over whether the loss of these protections might prompt drivers’ sponsors to walk away from 23XI Racing. However, Denny Hamlin reassured both fans and employees that any hurdles stemming from the lawsuit will be handled entirely by the ownership group, with core operations and jobs at 23XI remaining protected.

Hamlin stressed that he and co-owner Michael Jordan are fully committed to keeping the team in NASCAR, regardless of how the court ultimately rules. He has repeatedly promised his team that the legal battle will not interfere with their work or long-term future. Throughout the process, Hamlin has maintained a candid approach with fans and the media, projecting confidence and transparency. He said, “I have absolutely zero concern about the lawsuit. I know the facts and I have zero concern.”

Speaking to Bob Pockrass, Hamlin noted that a clearer resolution should come at the next court date. Reaffirming that no matter the outcome, his team intends to remain in the sport and will continue to be open about any developments once the case wraps up in December.