23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin attended the first day of the antitrust lawsuit trial on Monday, December 1. During the trial, he spent 40 minutes on the witness stand to close the day and made a witty comment on his 2025 season.The JGR driver had an excellent season this year and had a shot at the Cup Series championship title. He clinched six victories, 18 top 10s, 14 top fives, and five pole positions in 35 starts. He led 1,024 laps and maintained an average start of 11.943. However, his last pit stop call for changing four tires gave his rival, Kyle Larson, a lead and sabotaged his chances of winning his maiden title.Reflecting on that, while being asked about his 2025 season, Denny Hamlin quipped and stated:"Can I plead the fifth?"However, this was one of many questions asked by the opposition. During his testimony, the #11 Toyota driver disclosed details about charter deals he made with different teams. He also opened up about 23XI Racing's partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and revealed that the team pays around $8 million per year for technical services.Additionally, Denny Hamlin claimed that NASCAR tries to take sponsors away from the teams. He cited the example of Germain Racing losing GEICO to the governing body, and ultimately, the team folded. The testimony was paused and will continue on Tuesday.“Fans have been brainwashed”: Denny Hamlin calls out the senior writer for spreading lies amid the lawsuitJoe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin has criticized ESPN senior writer Ryan McGee for writing a propaganda piece and accused him of brainwashing fans. Hamlin strongly disagrees with McGee's perspective on the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR.23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed an antitrust lawsuit against the governing body after they refused to sign the charter agreement in October 2024. The Cup Series teams accused the sanctioning body and its CEO, Jim France, of creating a monopoly in the sport. The lawsuit was sent to trial on December 1.Ahead of the trial, Ryan McGee wrote an article claiming that Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan want the teams to gain more control. He also pointed out that the Cup Series teams earn 49% of the TV money. However, Michael Jordan believes it's still not enough and that NASCAR should adopt an NBA-like structure.Following that, Denny Hamlin lashed out at McGee and wrote:"Please give credit to @mforde for helping you write this propaganda piece that they want pushed to switch the narrative. Continuous lies about our stance, NASCARs motives for its actions, and continued message from the sanctioning body that everything is fine. Our fans know better.""Our fans have been brainwashed with their talking points for decades. Narratives pushed by media who are intimidated by them. Lies are over starting Monday morning. It’s time for the truth. It’s time for change," he added.Denny Hamlin also called out CEO Jim France in an email he wrote in 2022. He accused France of not taking any financial responsibility and asking the teams to cut costs despite the massive engine-building expenditures.