Tyler Reddick’s victory in the Southern 500, a race in which he won the regular-season title by one point over rival Kyle Larson, was overshadowed by unexpected post-race controversy. The absence of a NASCAR driver to present the championship trophy has heightened tensions within 23XI Racing, owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin. An angry Hamlin said nothing about it, according to the Associated Press. Hamlin said, “Obviously nobody in NASCAR gave Tyler a trophy.” The cancellation comes amid heightened tensions between NASCAR and its race teams over the expansion of its franchise system.
The main complaint centers on ongoing negotiations over a charter system that would guarantee race participation and revenue sharing for TV and the Cup Series’ first 36 charters. Teams are demanding higher revenue shares and permanent charters, and NASCAR has proposed repealing anti-discrimination rules and charters to accommodate future manufacturers.
Curtis Polk, co-owner of 23XI Racing, has been loud and clear in his opposition to the proposal. He once said this: “Don’t ask me about the charter. I don’t want to discredit NASCAR.” The absence of any NASCAR drivers at Reddick’s trophy presentation seems to indicate deeper problems between the organization and the team. The tensions are not limited to the awarding of trophies, but to fundamental differences of opinion over the future direction and governance of the sport. “Right now, NASCAR owns it, the teams own it, and we’re competing for the same sponsors,” Hamlin explained, referring to the fragmented environment in which teams and NASCAR compete for the same financial resources.
“They don’t want you to speak negatively. This is a new addition to the card,” he continued. “One side has to wake up and be rational.” “I think NASCAR has been our family business for a long time and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to get involved,” he said. “I think the world has changed since the mindset that Bill France established a long time ago. I respect everything they’ve built and everything they’ve done well, but at some point you have to adapt, or you have to think you have to adapt. .” I will give up sports.” These complaints have significant ramifications, with teams giving up image rights to Netflix series during negotiations, ruining crossover and promotional opportunities.
“I think we’ll just keep spinning our wheels until that happens.” What particularly irritated Hamlin and his teammates was the lack of recognition for the team’s contributions. “I think it’s a shame not to acknowledge that teams created this sport. (Rick) Hendrick and (Joe) Gibbs put superstars on the track. “This is what the sport is made of,” he said. Discontent fueled the belief that an outdated paradigm was holding back the sport’s growth.
“The fans don’t come to see the cars around the circuit. If we had fans we would have sold the ARCA races. But they don’t. They’re selling to see Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch on Sunday.” The team and NASCAR are in such a tumultuous situation with uncertainty hanging over them, especially as their charters expire after December. Legal and operational issues remain undecided. Problems are coming.
“There will be some teams that will be willing to accept any deal and there will be some teams that have business sense and don’t think it’s a big deal.” He concluded: “What we can do is arm ourselves and compete against each other rather than develop the sport together.”
