Denny Hamlin has been receiving a lot of attention lately due to his criticisms of the distribution of earnings between track owners and team owners. Hamlin, along with Michael Jordan, is involved in a dispute with Marcus Smith of SMI. The two have been exchanging heated comments on X, leading to a stalemate. Hamlin 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 began when Hamlin posted on his X account, highlighting the poor condition of the Sonoma track and criticizing Smith for unsatisfactory maintenance. This initial complaint turned into a fierce dispute 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 stated that he has invested more in NASCAR over four years than Speedway Motorsports Inc. has in the past ten years. He expressed frustration that track owners receive twice the amount that team owners do during a race weekend. This disparity angered Hamlin, and he called on NASCAR to intervene to regulate the situation before it escalates.
In a recent interview, another team owner and driver, co-owner of RFK Racing, discussed how reducing practices has not effectively reduced operational costs. He suggested increasing the number of practices without changing the format. However, Hamlin disagreed with his colleague’s ideas and urged NASCAR to stay away from them.
Hamlin, who is both a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and co-owner of 23XI, criticized Keselowski’s ability to lead a team. He stated that Keselowski seems to lack experience in leading a team and lacks knowledge in managing finances within a racing corporation.
Despite these statements and criticisms, there is currently no indication of a change in the format. However, with the increasing pressure from Hamlin, a review of revenue sharing may be considered for team owners in the future.
