Denny Hamlin has warned that no settlement is close in the lawsuit between his 23XI Racing team and NASCAR.
23XI and Front Row Motorsports are suing NASCAR for alleged antitrust violations in a case that has rumbled along all year, with a trial set for December 1 if the parties can't resolve their issues by then.
The two sides met for mediation talks last week but, despite things going so well on the first day that they agreed to come back for a second day to talk settlement, nothing was agreed.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that despite those specific talks falling apart, there was some real hope that a deal could yet be reached before this weekend's championship races at Phoenix.
Hamlin: No settlement close
That hope seems a long way away now, with Hamlin warning on Thursday that there is still nothing close – with Saturday marking one month until that potential trial date.
Asked whether he wanted to be left to focus on racing for his first Cup Series championship, Hamlin revealed: "No. I always get updates about everything. But, you know, mostly that stuff was all through media and not actual dialog.
When pressed on whether anything was close, he said simply: "No."
The 44-year-old had said a few days ago: "Both sides probably feel strong about their case. You sat in the court and heard the arguments. I’ll let you come up with your own opinion, but I think one of us is on a suicide mission."
