During his podcast “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour,” Kevin Harvick voiced his disdain for 23XI Racing’s decision to reject the NASCAR charter agreement. He specifically lambasted the timing of the refusal, calling it “the worst timing ever” given the high pressure of the NASCAR playoffs. The playoffs are the most stressful and important period of the racing season, and should be treated as such.
Harvick couldn’t help but point out the exacerbating effect this decision has had on Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing.
“You have everything that’s going on with the playoffs, you’re going into the first round of the playoffs and for Denny [Hamlin] he had about as bad of a first round as you could possibly have at Atlanta,” Harvick said.
The NASCAR icon noted Hamlin’s struggles in Atlanta, adding that he now faces the additional burden of preparing for demanding tracks like Watkins Glen and Bristol, all while navigating the fallout from the charter agreement mess.
Denny Hamlin speaks with the media during NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at the Charlotte Convention Center on September 04, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Kevin Harvick criticizes 23XI Racing for rejecting NASCAR charter agreements.
Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images
“It’s not ideal,” he said.
The crux of the issue lies in 23XI Racing’s refusal to sign new charter agreements for the 2025-2031 seasons. Co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, 23XI Racing, along with Front Row Motorsports, missed NASCAR’s imposed deadline to formalize these agreements.
According to a statement released by the team (above), the decision was rooted in a belief that they were not given a fair opportunity to negotiate the new terms.
“23XI decided to not meet a NASCAR-imposed deadline last night to sign charter agreements for its two cars for 2025-2031. 23XI’s position, as stated in a letter to NASCAR, is that we did not have an opportunity to fairly bargain for a new charter contract,” the team stated. They continued:
“We notified NASCAR what issues needed to be addressed, in writing, at the deadline. We are interested in engaging in constructive discussions with NASCAR to address these issues and move forward in a way that comes to a fair resolution while strengthening the sport we all love.
“At 23XI Racing, we remain committed to competing at the highest level while also standing firm in our belief that NASCAR should be governed by fair and equitable practices.”
The team fields two full-time Cup Series drivers—Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace. Reddick has had a stellar season, winning the regular season championship and currently making a strong showing in the playoffs. Bubba Wallace, though missing out on the playoffs this season, holds two career Cup Series race victories.
