"I will not stop fighting for you": Denny Hamlin defies his lawyers with a raw message to fans as courtroom pressure peaks

Denny Hamlin closed a bruising second day of testimony in the 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports antitrust case against NASCAR with an emotional late-night message to fans. The veteran driver said he would continue fighting as the trial moves into its third day.

The case, expected to last two weeks, centers on whether NASCAR used its control over premier stock-car racing to force teams into an economic model that they claim leaves them with no alternatives. A nine-member jury will decide whether those actions cross into illegal monopoly behavior.

Day 1 of the proceedings was dominated by jury selection, opening arguments, and the ruling that Hamlin and 23XI executive Curtis Polk could not stay in the courtroom until their own testimony. Hamlin took the stand shortly after for over four hours of cross-examination across two days of testimony.

On Day 2, NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman pressed Hamlin on team finances, charter negotiations, and his own public comments praising parts of the Next Gen era. After hours of questioning, he left the courtroom and wrote on X:

“My lawyers don’t want me to tweet, Or X or whatever this is, but they are asleep. I just wanted to tell you that I love you guys and I will not stop fighting for you and what is right.”

Denny Hamlin

@dennyhamlin

My lawyers dont want me to tweet, Or X or whatever this is, but they are asleep. I just wanted to tell you that I love you guys and I will not stop fighting for you and what is right.

It reflected the frustration Denny Hamlin has carried throughout the lawsuit, which has been active for more than a year. Earlier in court, when asked why he and 23XI refused to sign the 2025–31 charter agreement, Hamlin told the jury he saw it as “essentially my death certificate for the future.” He said the terms were pushed through with a 24-hour deadline in September 2024, leaving teams with no meaningful gains.

Hamlin testified that 23XI and FRM are seeking $205 million in damages because the sport’s structure limits competition, controls costs through single-source suppliers, restricts where Cup teams can race, and locks tracks into NASCAR-only stock-car events. He detailed his own financial position in the team, telling the court he has invested roughly $45 million, most of it through loans and guarantees. At the same time, NASCAR counsel countered that the number is closer to $10 million and that 23XI’s valuation and profits have risen.

Denny Hamlin (L) and wife Jordan Fish depart the Charles R Jonas Federal Building. Source: Getty

Buterman also challenged his comments on podcasts where he praised parity, scheduling, and the Next Gen platform. Denny Hamlin said those were promotional obligations and not a true reflection of his unresolved concerns.

The afternoon then featured a presentation of NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Scott Prime, whose appearance was marked by the first time text messages were displayed to the jury. In those messages, fellow executives Steve Phelps and Steve O’Donnell criticized early charter proposals as “insanity” and compared the structure to an outdated, team-hostile era.

Prime said the messages reflected frustration but argued that they improved the final deal. He is expected to resume testimony today as Day 3 begins.

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Denny Hamlin blasts NASCAR during testimony: “We aren’t a monopoly, you are”

Jim France (L) congratulates Denny Hamlin on the 75 Greatest Drivers list. Source: Getty

On the stand, Denny Hamlin repeatedly pointed to NASCAR’s control over the tracks, the car platform, supplier rules, and the charter system as evidence that teams have no competitive alternatives. He referred to internal communications about shutting down rival series and blocking competing stock-car platforms, telling the jury that the sport’s structure is shaped by the France family’s complete control over the championship, venues, and regulations.

That tension surfaced again when Lawrence Buterman compared Hamlin’s exclusivity clause in (23XI Racing rookie) Riley Herbst’s contract, which prevents Herbst from racing for another team without approval, to NASCAR’s own restrictive provisions.

“We aren’t a monopoly,” he said. “You are. I believe it’s different when you have options and drivers have options of what teams they can race for.”

Another exchange involved internal 23XI communications. Buterman highlighted messages between Hamlin and co-owner Michael Jordan regarding the securing of future drivers, including Corey Heim. In one text, Jordan wrote, “Lock him up, please.” Hamlin told the jury that this is not comparable because drivers can choose between teams, while teams have no meaningful alternative to NASCAR.

With Denny Hamlin’s testimony now complete, he will be allowed to sit in the courtroom for the remainder of the trial.