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Denny Hamlin celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway on July 2 in Dover, Del. (AP file photo)<\/p>\n
CHARLOTTE, N.C. ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/8-29-2b-BW-nascar-663x500.jpg\")
\u2014 Denny Hamlin, with three Daytona 500 wins and 58 career victories, is considered the greatest driver to never win a Cup Series championship.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s final offer on an extension on charters \u2014 the equivalent of a franchise in other sports \u2014 and this lawsuit has grown quite contentious.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s a thorn in NASCAR\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
Even so, he believes he will have a fair chance to finally win a Cup title.<\/p>\n
Why?<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re treated fairly by the NASCAR officials that are at the race track, yes,\u201d Hamlin said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s receiving pushback from others.<\/p>\n
When asked who, he only said, \u201cthe others\u201d in a likely reference to NASCAR\u2019s senior leadership. He said none of it affects him on or off the track.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just makes me angrier,\u201d said Hamlin, who insisted he\u2019s able to focus on his job despite how bitter its become between NASCAR and 23XI and FRM. \u201cI want to win the championship. I want to win 60 or more races and so that is my No. 1 goal and so I\u2019m not going to let anyone distract me from that no matter what their motivations might be.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019t like 23XI Racing because of this lawsuit \u2014 and the argument is only bolstered by court filings in which NASCAR has claimed it can\u2019t be forced to do business with those it doesn\u2019t want to do business with.<\/p>\n
FRM and 23XI are currently racing as \u201copen\u201d teams after their injunction to be recognized as chartered through the duration of the court case was overturned. They\u2019ve appealed and want the injunction put back in place and have argued that being \u201copen\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t see that at all,\u201d Wallace said. \u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reddick, who is expected to be a centerpiece in Thursday\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Reddick said he\u2019s been treated fairly by NASCAR since the suit was filed last fall and he won\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re staying focused on the playoffs and the races that lie ahead, not bothered by it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
AP auto racing: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/auto-racing<\/p>\n