Leaked Texts Fuel Denny Hamlins Antitrust Case Against NASCAR

A series of private text messages has been made public as part of an ongoing antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The lawsuit, filed by a former technical director, alleges anticompetitive practices. The leaked communications involve high-level NASCAR officials and are now part of the court record.

Main News

The messages are from a group chat involving NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer and other officials. In one exchange from 2022, officials discussed the charter system and team owner Denny Hamlin. A message stated, “We can’t play the game where we act like the teams are our partners. They are not.”

Further texts from 2023 show officials reacting to Hamlin’s public criticism of the Next Gen car. One message read, “He needs to be punished.” Another official responded, “We need to fine the s— out of him.”

The lawsuit claims NASCAR attempted to pressure Toyota, the manufacturer for Hamlin’s 23XI Racing team, to silence Hamlin. The legal filing alleges a NASCAR official told a Toyota executive that Hamlin’s comments were harmful and needed to stop.

These communications are now evidence in the federal lawsuit. The case accuses NASCAR of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Summary

Leaked text messages between NASCAR officials have been submitted in an antitrust lawsuit. The messages show internal discussions about team owners, specifically Denny Hamlin, who is also a co-owner of 23XI Racing.

In the texts, officials expressed a view that teams are not partners and discussed penalizing Hamlin for his public comments. The lawsuit further alleges that NASCAR contacted Toyota to apply pressure on Hamlin to cease his criticism.

This evidence is central to the legal claim that NASCAR engaged in anticompetitive behavior. The case is proceeding in federal court.

FAQs

**What is the lawsuit about?**
The lawsuit is a federal antitrust case filed by a former NASCAR technical director. It alleges that NASCAR engages in anticompetitive practices to control and dominate the sport.

What do the leaked texts show?
The text messages show NASCAR officials privately discussing their relationship with team owners. The communications include statements about not viewing teams as partners and desires to penalize Denny Hamlin for his public remarks.

How does this involve Denny Hamlin?
Denny Hamlin is a team owner who has been publicly critical of NASCAR. The leaked messages discuss him directly, and the lawsuit claims NASCAR tried to pressure his manufacturer, Toyota, to silence him.

Disclaimer: This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. All information is based on verified reporting available at the time of publication.