Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin have criticized NASCAR for making its legal dispute with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports personal.
Their frustration stems from NASCAR’s recent countersuit, which specifically targets Curtis Polk, a key business partner of Jordan. The lawsuit originated last October when both teams refused to sign NASCAR’s new charter agreement.
Instead of complying, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports sued NASCAR and its CEO, Jim France, accusing them of unfairly monopolizing stock car racing.
On March 5, Newsweek Sports reported NASCAR’s counterclaim against the two teams, which also referenced Polk.
NASCAR’s statement argued that 23XI and Front Row were misusing antitrust laws to dismantle the charter system. It accused the teams, along with Polk, of violating these laws by engaging in anti-competitive collective behavior regarding the 2025 Charter Agreements.
NASCAR attorney Christopher Yates later spoke to The Associated Press, directly calling out Polk. He suggested that Polk does not fully understand NASCAR and has attempted to apply business strategies from the NBA, where he has extensive experience, to stock car racing—an approach Yates believes does not work in motorsports.
In response, Jordan defended Polk through a spokeswoman, emphasizing that he and Polk stand together. She stated that if NASCAR is targeting Polk, they are also targeting Jordan, making the issue personal rather than just a business dispute.
Hamlin also defended Polk, likening the criticism to claiming a chef doesn’t know how to cook. He highlighted Polk’s role in building Jordan’s business empire over three decades and praised his influence on 23XI Racing’s operations and innovation.
With such strong remarks from Jordan and Hamlin in support of Polk, it remains to be seen how NASCAR will react next in this ongoing legal battle.
