Denny Hamlin Speaks Out After 23XI Racing Investor Took Sly Jab At New NASCAR Charter Clause

23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin has addressed team investor Curtis Polk’s sly jab at NASCAR at Darlington Raceway. The investor at 23XI Racing hinted at his frustrations during the Southern 500 at Darlington by wearing a piece of paper pinned to his shirt that read, “Please don’t ask me about my Charter. I don’t want to disparage NASCAR and lose it.”

This statement was a clear shot at NASCAR’s newly proposed anti-disparagement clause.

Hamlin shared his thoughts on Polk’s controversial move on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast.

“I would choose not to speak about [Polk’s shirt], but it kind of speaks for itself, and I can’t believe he actually wore that.

“They do not want you speaking negatively, that’s a new add to the charter agreement. We’ll see how that goes. NASCAR’s got their stance and the teams have there’s. We’ll just see where this goes the next few weeks.”

The most recent development in the charter agreement negotiations includes NASCAR’s effort to finalize the updated system ahead of the 10-race playoff series. As Adam Stern of Sports Business reports, the goal is to prevent any disruption by securing agreements this week, with teams recently receiving the newest proposal.

One of the main bones of contention is the economic model that dictates the distribution of media rights revenue. Currently, teams receive 25% of this revenue, while tracks and NASCAR take 65% and 10%, respectively.

With the media rights deal from 2025 to 2031 valued at $7.7 billion, and involving major partners like FOX Sports, NBC, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Amazon, the stakes are undeniably high.

NASCAR has promised an increase in the teams’ share to improve their economic viability, a move that could potentially endanger the sport’s integrity if not adequately balanced.

The issue of non-permanent charters initiated in 2016 further complicates the problem. These charters, which can be lost due to inconsistent fielding or poor performance, introduce financial instability that makes long-term investments risky. This situation has led to annual losses for many teams under the current model, prompting calls for change from influential figures in the sport.

Prominent among these voices is Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, who has articulated the need for permanent charters. In an interview with The New York Times, Jordan stressed:

“If you had permanent charters, then you could create a revenue stream, either with new investors or different types of sponsorships that would subsidize that type of variance between ownership and the league.

“That’s a big, big miss right there. If you don’t correct that, this sport’s going to die not because of the competition aspect, but because economically it doesn’t make sense for any business people.”