NASCAR News: 23XI Racing’s Polk slams NASCAR dictatorship

Michael Jordan’s long-time business manager Curtis Polk (pictured above right) has publicly turned on NASCAR, accusing them of “refusing” to negotiate with 23XI over a new charter deal. NASCAR is a dictatorship. Always has been, always will be.

23XI Racing, the team co-owned by NBA legend Jordan and driver Denny Hamlin, is one of two teams that has refused to sign a new charter agreement with NASCAR.

Their holdout risks turning ugly after all other teams, apart from Front Row Motorsports, signed the new agreement, which would determine the terms of their participation from 2025 through 2031..

Speaking at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Jordan’s long-time right-hand-man Curtis Polk accused NASCAR of having “undue influence” and refusing to engage with the team during the process. According to FOX Sports, NASCAR declined to comment in response to his public accusations.

“NASCAR has consistently refused to deal with 23XI in these negotiations,” Polk said. “We are David facing Goliath, NASCAR has superior bargaining power and undue influence over the sport and the charter process.

“They wielded this power continuously over the past few months and consistently rejecting broad team requests on major issues while providing minor changes for pet issues that some teams requested in 1-on-1 meetings.”

23XI sent a letter to NASCAR last week making various requests. However, Polk declined to discuss specifics and suggested other teams felt “pressured” to sign the charter agreement.

“We understand that some teams may have felt pressured and compelled to sign the agreement under significant duress,” Polk said.

“While other teams may have signed the charter agreement, 23XI Racing faces our own challenges that make these terms particularly harmful to our operations and our ownership groups, interests and intellectual property rights.

“This isn’t the 1960s and these predatory practices will not withstand scrutiny and be accepted in 2024.”

Denny Hamlin refused to expand on a statement issued by 23XI Racing over the situation ahead of the weekend’s racing. “I think it was all covered by the statement,” Hamlin said. “I don’t really have anything else to add. Obviously, I’m here to try to win for my 11 team; that’s certainly the focus when I come to the racetrack.”