Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan are united as 23XI Racing co-owners as they take on the might of NASCAR in the sport’s trial of the century.
But it has not always been sweetness light for the pair as they look to transform the future of the sport in a massive antitrust suit against the brass in Charlotte.
The basketball legend and the superstar driver launched 23XI in 2020, and since then have become a notable challenger brand on the grid vs the might of Penske, Hendrick and Joe Gibbs Racing.
Their court battle with NASCAR is drawing huge interest this week, with Jordan a constant presence in the courtroom and Hamlin spending four hours on the stand - three of those hours being cross-examined.
The number of news nuggets and revelations which came out continues to grow - including Hamlin revealing just how much he earns driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Hamlin asked Jordan to shop his 23XI stake
There was one other notable bombshell which came out on Tuesday - notably that Hamlin had threatened to quit his role at 23XI back in 2023. NASCAR lawyers claim Denny had asked MJ to find a buyer for his stake in the team.
Apparently NASCAR’s strategy here was to show Hamlin not being committed to his role as a team co-owner. But the 45-year-old had a fascinating response.
Denny’s counter claim is that at the time there was disagreement about the future of 23XI, and that his move was purely aimed at showing he meant business, getting his point across to fellow owners.
The case continues on Wednesday, with 23XI and Front Row claiming $205m in damages. That number raised eyebrows in the NASCAR legal team on Tuesday, with the claim being that represents a 900 percent return on investment for Jordan, Hamlin and co.
