Denny Hamlin. Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Courtroom battle between 23XI Racing, NASCAR turns nasty

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 10:19 PM ET

The legal battle between NASCAR and 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports officially turned nasty on Thursday.

During a preliminary injunction trial on Thursday, several text messages sent by 23XI Racing leadership were made public, and they make it clear where the organization stands regarding their battle with NASCAR over the 2024 charter agreements that 23XI refused to sign.

Court has let out. It's not an understatement to say the gloves have come off and the mutual animosity and bitterness from both parties spilled over today.

To prove likelihood of success, 23XI and Front Row made public the redacted 'smoking gun' documents, text chains from…
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) August 28, 2025

Cup Series driver and 23XI-Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin said in a message that his "despise for the France family runs deep." Jim France, the current CEO of NASCAR, is the son of NASCAR founder Bill France.

In another message, 23XI Racing President Steve Lauletta said that "Jim France dying is probably the answer" in regard to settling the charter dispute. Meanwhile, Jordan's agent, Curtis Polk, said that "(Cup) racing is boring as s---."

Messages from NASCAR leadership in regard to the charter deal put forth in 2024 were also released. In the messages, NASCAR President Steve O'Donnell expressed his apparent displeasure with the deal that was offered to teams in September 2024.

Here is the text exchange between Phelps and O’Donnell discussing a draft version of the charter agreement that wasn’t ever sent to the teams. I tried to scratch out the phone numbers. And to be clear, O’Donnell was saying it wasn’t good for the teams and a step back. https://t.co/YnPwIWIsRn pic.twitter.com/Cnh04jtS9v
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 29, 2025

"The approach of "here's a bit more money, f--- off everywhere else is a bold strategy," an unnamed individual said on the released text chain between NASCAR leadership.

"And one that (NASCAR Executive Vice Chair Lesa France Kennedy) said both Mike and Gary said is getting us close. Close to a comfortable 1996, f--- the teams, dictatorship, motorsport, redneck, southern, tiny sport," O'Donnell said.

A trial in the case between 23XI/FRM and NASCAR, which was initially brought forth on anti-trust grounds, is set for Dec. 1.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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