Denny Hamlin breaks down in tears during testimony as 23XI, FRM vs. NASCAR lawsuit trial begins

NASCAR Antitrust Lawsuit Trial Begins In Charlotte, North Carolina - Source: Getty
Denny Hamlin - NASCAR Antitrust Lawsuit Trial Begins In Charlotte, North Carolina - Source: Getty

Denny Hamlin had an emotional start to his witness testimony on Monday, December 1. The trial hearing between 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and NASCAR officially began with jury selection and opening statements from both sides.

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Hamlin's testimony included his origins in Cup racing, a story that brought him to tears, seeing how it involves his ailing father's sacrifices. He later went over his initial prospects as a team owner and how Michael Jordan came into the picture as a majority owner.

He further revealed that 23XI spends $8 million to avail JGR's technical alliance every year, alongside an employee count of 140, out of which 70-80 members get to work on the car. The $35 million Airspeed facility was apparently built to close sponsorship deals, which he claims are at risk of getting poached by NASCAR itself.

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Hamlin pointed to Germain Racing losing GEICO to NASCAR and how it put them out of business. Furthermore, the 45-year-old addressed the financial pressure of travelling to the Mexico City race and how it affected 23XI's bottom line.

Reflecting upon Hamlin's opening statements, NASCAR reporter Toby Christie shared an X post, writing,

"Hamlin was super emotional and burst into tears in the opening minutes of his testimony as he recalled his path to the NASCAR Cup Series as a driver."
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Denny Hamlin appeared before Judge Kenneth Bell and a jury of nine members, but the ninth member had to withdraw, causing a delay in the proceedings. Consequently, Hamlin will finish his testimony on Tuesday morning.


Denny Hamlin takes aim at media publication for 'propaganda piece' against 23XI

Denny Hamlin didn't hold back after ESPN senior writer Ryan McGee wrote an article calling out 23XI Racing. McGee shared how the teams aren't satisfied with the 49 per cent they receive from the media rights deal, pointing out that Michael Jordan wants an NBA-like system where the teams own the charters, instead of leasing them from NASCAR.

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Hamlin took issue with the stance and shared an X post, writing,

"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."
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"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.

Hamlin's emails have been released as part of the discovery process. Some of those emails have revealed his rhetoric against the France family, suggesting that Jim France avoids any payout and wants the teams find more money from OEMs and sponsors to cover their costs.

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Edited by Vignesh Kanna
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