Denny Hamlin has been receiving a lot of attention lately due to his criticism of the distribution of earnings between track and team owners. Hamlin, along with Michael Jordan, is involved in a dispute with SMI’s Marcus Smith. The two have been exchanging heated remarks on X, leading to a deadlock. Hamlin has expressed his frustration and revealed the significant amount of money invested in the 23XI project, which he co-owns with Jordan.
The conflict between Hamlin and Smith started when Hamlin posted on his X account, highlighting the poor condition of the Sonoma track and criticizing Smith for the lackluster maintenance. This initial complaint escalated into a full-blown feud between the two. In a podcast, Hamlin explained the immense dedication he has put into the sport and criticized companies like SMI for not fulfilling their responsibilities and reinvesting an adequate amount compared to their earnings.
As a co-owner of 23XI, Hamlin claimed that he has invested more in NASCAR over four years than Speedway Motorsports Inc. has in the past decade. He expressed frustration over the fact that track owners receive double the amount that team owners do during a race weekend. This disparity angered Hamlin, and he called for NASCAR’s intervention to regulate the situation before it worsens.
In a recent interview, another team owner and driver, RFK racing co-owner, discussed how reducing practice runs has not effectively reduced operational costs. He suggested increasing the number of practice runs without altering the format. However, Hamlin disagreed with his compatriot’s ideas and urged NASCAR to steer clear of them.
Hamlin, who is both a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and a co-owner of 23XI, criticized Keselowski’s ability to run a team. He claimed that Keselowski appears to have no experience leading a team and lacks knowledge in managing finances within a racing corporation.
Despite these claims and criticisms, there is currently no indication of a change in the format. However, with mounting pressure from Hamlin, a revision of the revenue split may be considered for team owners in the future.