In addition to being a popular driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, Denny Hamlin owns a team.
Furthermore, Hamlin was questioned on the status of the ongoing Charter talks with NASCAR during Wednesday’s NASCAR Cup Series Media Day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Hamlin responded with a single word when asked where the charter talk was taking place at the moment. “Stagnant” was his word.
“One side will have to wake up and be reasonable,” Hamlin remarked in response to a question on what has to be done.
“That’s it.” The obvious question that followed was, which side? Not ours, replied Hamlin.
At Joe Gibbs Racing, Hamlin is the driver of the No. 11 Toyota. Along with basketball legend and all-time great Michael Jordan, he is also the owner of the 23XI squad.
Curtis Polk, a 23XI investor, was wearing a handmade note on a piece of paper that was fastened to his shirt last week at Darlington. It read, “Please don’t ask me about my Charter.” I don’t want to lose it by criticizing NASCAR.
Hamlin had another one-word response when asked why Polk wore the sign.
“Irritation,” he uttered. On Monday, September 2, earlier this week, Hamlin disclosed on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast that NASCAR had added a provision prohibiting making “anti-disparaging remarks” to previous charter versions.
On the podcast, Hamlin stated, “I would prefer not to speak about [Polk’s shirt], but it kind of speaks for itself, and I can’t believe he actually wore that.” “That is a new addition to the charter agreement;
they do not want you to comment adversely. We’ll watch how that turns out.Both NASCAR and the teams have their positions. We’ll simply have to wait and watch over the coming weeks.
Two days later, the 54-time winner of the NASCAR Cup Series was talking more like a team owner of 23XI than the driver of the No. 11 Toyota at a Hall of Fame ceremony honoring the greatest of the great in NASCAR history—a place where Hamlin will probably be inducted one day.
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Get the most recent information about promotions, new products, and content recommendations from Forbes and its partners. Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick drive for 23XI.
Reddick triumphed in the Cookout Southern 500 on Sunday at Darlington Raceway, earning him the NASCAR “Regular Season” Championship.
The team owners posed for pictures and presented Reddick with a trophy. But Hamlin was unhappy at the way the prize was handed out.
“It’s disappointing that Tyler Reddick’s trophy wasn’t presented by a NASCAR representative,” stated Hamlin.
“That left me a little let down.” Regarding whether he believed it to be “personal,” Hamlin replied, “I’m not sure.” That was the first thing I ever seen.
Officials from NASCAR have expressed optimism that a new Charter agreement will be finalized during the 10-race, two and a half-month NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
Although they obviously want it to, Hamlin stated, “the truth is they keep going in the wrong direction.”
Who then is being truthful? Hamlin went on, “I think I am from our standpoint, but it depends on who you ask.”
However, I believe that there are undoubtedly some teams that are content to accept whatever bargain they can get and that there are other teams that have some business sense and believe that this is absurd.
“Nevertheless, each team will carry out an agreement that they believe is just for themselves, and everyone will do what is best for their own team.”
Although he hasn’t been asked to speak on behalf of other teams, according to Hamlin, “they don’t hate it either.” “I don’t enjoy taking center stage. I wish some of the other owners who are berating me over the phone and through texts would just come clean, but I believe they are afraid of being retaliated against.
Pushback is a serious danger, particularly in NASCAR. It’s a challenging sport that is scrutinized on many levels, whether through technical examination or other factors that define good sportsmanship and gamesmanship.