Hamlin's Cup title quest begins as antitrust battle with NASCAR heats up

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Denny Hamlin, with three Daytona 500 wins and 58 career victories, is considered the greatest driver to never win a Cup Series championship. His quest to finally win a title begins Sunday at Darlington Raceway, just four days after he stares down NASCAR in federal court over antitrust claims lodged by the team he co-owns with Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Hamlin does not believe that this bitter fight over antitrust claims will factor into what he or the 23XI Racing drivers can do over the next 10 races. Front Row Motorsports and 23XI have lodged antitrust claims against NASCAR surrounding its charter system; they are the only two organizations out of 15 that did not accept NASCAR's final offer on an extension on charters — the equivalent of a franchise in other sports — and this lawsuit has grown quite contentious. Hamlin drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, but as one of the most popular and veteran drivers in the sport, the host of a podcast, a media go-to and the face of 23XI, he's a thorn in NASCAR's side. Even so, he believes he will have a fair chance to finally win a Cup title. Why? "I think we're treated fairly by the NASCAR officials that are at the race track, yes," Hamlin said Wednesday. That insinuated that he and the 23XI cars driven by playoff drivers Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace get fair treatment from the officials and technical inspectors each week at the track. But it also insinuated he's receiving pushback from others. When asked who, he only said, "the others" in a likely reference to NASCAR's senior leadership. He said none of it affects him on or off the track. "It just makes me angrier," said Hamlin, who insisted he's able to focus on his job despite how bitter its become between NASCAR and 23XI and FRM. "I want to win the championship. I want to win 60 or more races and so that is my No. 1 goal and so I'm not going to let anyone distract me from that no matter what their motivations might be." When Reddick won the regular-season title a year ago, there was grumbling that no NASCAR executive was on hand to present him the trophy. And so began a narrative that NASCAR doesn't like 23XI Racing because of this lawsuit — and the argument is only bolstered by court filings in which NASCAR has claimed it can't be forced to do business with those it doesn't want to do business with. FRM and 23XI are currently racing as "open" teams after their injunction to be recognized as chartered through the duration of the court case was overturned. They've appealed and want the injunction put back in place and have argued that being "open" teams will not only put them out of business but cause irreparable harm in that drivers and sponsors can leave if the cars are not chartered; Reddick has such a clause. Despite the animosity at the most important time of the season, Wallace agrees with Hamlin that it has always been business as usual by the NASCAR officials at the track. He does not have any concern that NASCAR will try to prevent Hamlin, Reddick or Wallace from winning the championship in November and then going to court Dec. 1 for the start of the trial. "I don't see that at all," Wallace said. "It would be really selfish if that was the case, but no, I feel like when we show up to the track, we have equal opportunities and equal chances, just like the other 38, 40 guys that are out there. All good." Reddick, who is expected to be a centerpiece in Thursday's court hearing because of the clause in his contract that puts 23XI in breach if his Toyota is not chartered, has consistently declined to comment on the lawsuit. Regular-season champ a year ago, he barely slid in this season and only made it as the 15th seed in a so-far winless season. Reddick said he's been treated fairly by NASCAR since the suit was filed last fall and he won't let it distract him from trying to turn his season around at the most important part of the year. Reddick last season made it to the championship finale. "We're staying focused on the playoffs and the races that lie ahead, not bothered by it," he said.