ESPN’s senior NASCAR writer, Ryan McGee, strongly criticized Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin for filing a lawsuit against NASCAR’s chairman and owner, Jim France. While McGee did not specifically comment on whether the lawsuit was justified, he took issue with the timing of the legal action, suggesting that the co-owners of 23XI Racing acted without considering the broader context. McGee’s main message to Jordan and Hamlin was blunt: “Wait a damn week.”
The lawsuit stems from ongoing negotiations regarding NASCAR’s charter system, which governs how teams participate in the sport. After two years of discussions, NASCAR presented its final proposal and requested all teams to sign it by September 6, 2023. Out of 15 Cup Series teams, only two—23XI Racing, co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports (FRM)—refused to sign. Their main complaint was that they had not been given a fair opportunity to negotiate the terms. Since then, rumors swirled that these teams might take legal action against NASCAR.
On October 2, 2023, 23XI and FRM confirmed these rumors by releasing a joint statement announcing their intention to pursue an antitrust lawsuit against the France family, who control NASCAR. However, what really caught McGee’s attention was the contrast between 23XI Racing’s actions before and after the lawsuit. Just one day prior to filing the case, Jordan’s team was actively involved in community service, helping victims of Hurricane Helene and organizing drop-off points for donations. The sudden switch from humanitarian efforts to legal action struck McGee as inappropriate and poorly timed.
McGee took to his ESPN column to voice his displeasure, calling the lawsuit “selfish” and “thoughtless.” He argued that Jordan and Hamlin should have delayed their legal action for a week out of respect for their previous charitable activities. “The timing of their move, from tipping off the lawsuit on Tuesday to the media teleconference on Wednesday — the very same Wednesday when they were doing good work — there is no debate about that. It was selfish, classless, and thoughtless. Wait a damn week,” McGee wrote.
Adding to the controversy, NASCAR responded by freezing 23XI’s purchase of a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing, likely as a result of the ongoing legal conflict. This development only intensified the already heated situation.
Not only did McGee criticize 23XI Racing, but Larry McReynolds, a two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief and Fox analyst, also voiced his displeasure with the team’s decision to file the lawsuit. McReynolds pointed out that 23XI Racing is relatively new to the sport, having been established less than four years ago. He argued that the team should show more respect for NASCAR’s long-standing traditions, especially since many veteran teams, like those led by Richard Childress, Jack Roush, Rick Hendrick, and Joe Gibbs, had already signed NASCAR’s proposed charter agreement.
McReynolds acknowledged that change is often necessary, but he questioned whether Jordan’s team had the experience to make such bold demands. “We’ve got an organization that’s been here not even four years, and all of a sudden they’re saying ‘we gotta change the way NASCAR’s run.’ I’m all about change, but when I see Richard Childress, Jack Roush, Rick Hendrick, and Joe Gibbs — guys who’ve been in the sport longer than some of these new owners have been alive — signing off on this deal, it makes you think. These veterans don’t love everything about it, but they understand it’s good for the sport and their business,” McReynolds said.
He went on to criticize 23XI and FRM for implying that NASCAR has been running its business wrong for 76 years. “The fact that teams with limited experience in NASCAR are trying to reshape the way things have been done for decades is unsettling,” McReynolds added.
As the legal battle unfolds, many are watching closely to see how it will impact the future of NASCAR. The lawsuit has the potential to shake up the sport’s business structure, especially if 23XI and FRM succeed in their antitrust claims. For now, however, the focus remains on the fallout from the decision and the reactions of key figures like McGee and McReynolds.
In the end, the tension between established NASCAR teams and newer ones like 23XI is a reflection of broader debates within the sport about how it should be run and who gets to have a say. Whether Michael Jordan’s team will emerge victorious in court or suffer setbacks on and off the track remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: NASCAR’s legal and business landscape is shifting, and the results could have lasting effects.
