As the NASCAR Cup Series caravan rolled into Charlotte Motor Speedway, off-track drama simmered intensely. Behind the scenes, fresh developments in the antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR captured the garage’s attention. As this legal battle progressed through motions and hearings, Denny Hamlin has made his stance very clear.

Hamlin, balancing his dual role as a 23XI owner and a Joe Gibbs Racing driver, naturally sought solidarity from fellow owners amid the suit’s claims of NASCAR’s overreach stifling competition. But recent filings showed other team leaders taking sides on the charter system, leaving Hamlin feeling somewhat isolated. These twists have made Hamlin’s perspective on the latest moves particularly compelling, hinting at deeper rifts.

Denny Hamlin’s surprising take on owners’ declarations

On an X post by Bob Pockrass, Denny Hamlin didn’t hold back when addressing NASCAR’s recent motion for summary judgment, filed on October 3, 2025, which included declarations from several team owners supporting the charter system and calling for a swift resolution to the antitrust suit. Speaking at Charlotte, Hamlin said, “You know, for them, I thought that it was truthfully more helpful for us than it was for them. But, I mean, this is, you know, obviously, as they said, they were asked to do it.”

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

Hamlin saw these statements, meant to support NASCAR, as actually helping 23XI and Front Row because they exposed weaknesses in how NASCAR negotiates. After years of charter talks since 2022, teams have been trying to get better revenue and guaranteed spots, but NASCAR’s filing argued the lawsuit was too late and didn’t show any financial harm.

The declarations showed that owners felt pressured but wanted to keep things stable. Hamlin saw this as proof that the system is unfair — the exact issue his lawsuit is challenging. For instance, Rick Hendrick of Hendrick Motorsports stated, “The Charter Agreement is critical to the stability of the NASCAR ecosystem—the teams, the businesses that support us, and NASCAR itself. Without this framework in place, I question the long-term viability of the teams, including Hendrick Motorsports, and do not believe we would be able to survive.”

Hendrick, with his team having four charters, signed the 2025 contract two years into the tough negotiation, gaining a revenue boost but falling short of the full demands. This was during the timeline of the lawsuit, such as the October 8, 2024, denied injunction and an appeal court reversal on June 5, 2025, temporarily depriving charters of their license.

Joe Gibbs echoed similar sentiments, noting, “The most important thing to me is that this lawsuit is resolved amicably, quickly, and in a manner that preserves the charter system and the long-term viability of our incredible sport.” Gibbs, with deep ties to the France family and Hamlin as his driver, highlighted the charter’s role in equity value since 2016, yet expressed reservations due to partnerships affected by the suit.

Bob Pockrass reported on X that the filing featured “statements from several team owners/execs urging that the charter system remain and the case to be resolved,” amplifying the buzz. Hamlin’s stance suggested these pleas unintentionally validated his claims of pressure and unfair control, especially after a December 18, 2024, injunction briefly favored the teams before appeals flipped it.

NASCAR statement and 23XI/FRM attorney Jeffrey Kessler statement on NASCAR motion for summary judgment filed today, a filing with statements from several team owners/execs urging that the charter system remain and the case to be resolved: pic.twitter.com/8ZkAs4Gz41

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 4, 2025

But while legal battles rage off-track, on-track tensions within 23XI Racing add another layer. As the playoffs intensify, driver reactions to team dynamics offer a glimpse into the human side of the sport.

Wallace’s emotional week after Kansas clash

Bubba Wallace shared his feelings after the emotional blowup after Denny Hamlin bumped him into the wall during the last lap of the race at Kansas Speedway, when Hamlin was in a fight to win the race. This accident in the midst of a crucial playoff race put Wallace below the cutline and raised debate about the duality of Hamlin as a rival and team co-owner. Wallace, who was driving the No. 23 Toyota, had to win to make it to the next round, but the collision resulted in overtime, where Chase Elliott was the winner instead.

In a reflection of the resulting fallout, Wallace called the days following Kansas “a somber week.” This summed up the unresolved disappointments, made worse by the playoff pressure and clumsy team dynamic, with Hamlin pursuing his 60th Cup win. This relocation was met with a question mark, where other drivers supposedly sectioned it as dubious, considering Hamlin had power steering problems.

But Wallace was mature enough to provide some context based on their post-race pit road conversation, which had turned into a more serious conversation at Charlotte.

He said, “I don’t fault Denny Hamlin for racing for a win, racing for his team, and his sponsors. I get the question a lot—what’s it like racing Denny on the racetrack? No offense to them, but I could give two f–ks because he’s a competitor, and he has labeled it that way. So that was two competitors going for a win, and so as much as it didn’t work out, I have to respect that.”

This underscored his admiration of the competitive nature, where Hamlin was nothing more than another competitor, even though he was a co-owner. Their 30-minute heart-to-heart defused tensions as they were in a place of peace and relaxed the somber mood before the Roval. When 23XI is struggling to overcome lawsuits, these events highlight the thin line between competition and collaboration in the ultra-competitive NASCAR racing world.