Vulgar Texts Revealed In Court Hearing Over NASCAR Antitrust Lawsuit Brought By Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing

The legal fight between NASCAR and the pairing of Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports over the sport’s latest charter agreement came to a head in a Charlotte court today as vulgar texts from both sides collected during the discovery process were made public.

The hearing was about the teams’ request for an injunction that would allow them to race as chartered teams for the rest of the season until the case goes to trial in December. Both have lost the status , which grants a share of race revenue and guaranteed spots in each event, and are currently running as open entries. They can still earn purse money, however, and NASCAR made a rule change that ensures they will be able to enter every remaining race.

The judge said that he would rule on the matter next week. If it is denied, NASCAR has indicated it may sell the charters to other teams.

Among the texts that were disclosed in court were several from Jordan where he called Joe Gibbs Racing the F-word for signing the charter agreement and the other teams the P-word for the same reason. “Teams are going to regret not joining us,” Jordan texted 23XI Racing co-owner Curtis Polk.

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Referring to 80-year-old NASCAR CEO Jim France, 23XI Racing’s president Steve Lauletta wrote “Jim dying is probably the answer” to a better deal for the teams.

23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin, who also drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, said in another, “my despise for the France family runs deep … (but) please let’s not sabotage our own business,” the Associated Press reported.

Hamlin and 23XI Racing’s drivers Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick all qualified for the NASCAR Playoffs and Hamlin was asked during media day on Wednesday if he was concerned they’d be treated fairly.

“I think we’re treated fairly by the NASCAR officials that are at the race track. Yes,” he said.

When asked who isn’t treating him fairly, his answer was, “the others,” which apparently meant series management.

The teams revealed a text sent by NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell to commissioner Steve Phelps after a board meeting that critically referred to one of the early charter agreement drafts as “close to a comfortable 1996, [F word] the teams, dictatorship, motorsport, redneck, southern, tiny sport.”

It did not develop into the final agreement, but the disclosure was meant to illustrate NASCAR management’s approach to its relationship with the teams.

After the hearing, Jordan made a statement saying he was fighting to improve the sport, which needs to “continually change for the fans as well as for the teams.”

“I feel like we made a good statement today about that and I look forward to going down with fire. If I have to fight this to the end, for the betterment of the sport, I will do that.”