"I don't know how it gets resolved": NASCAR Insider on 23XI Racing's mindset and future options in charter agreement conflictÂ
Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing recently released a public statement regarding their position on the charter agreement. The organization, which recently celebrated a significant milestone with Tyler Reddick winning the regular season championship, announced that unlike 13 other teams, they have not signed the proposed charter agreement.
According to the statement, Front Row Motorsports was the other team that supported them in not signing the agreement.
This was something that was a big subject of discussion on the Teardown podcast hosted by NASCAR insiders Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi. During their conversation, co-host Bianchi shared his perspective on why 23XI Racing chose a different path compared to the 13 teams.
"They didn't like the terms of the deal. They felt like NASCAR was being heavy handed. There's a lot of frustration that NASCAR has fallen back on their historic ways of heavy handed, 'Our way or the highway, this is how we do things.' And that this wasn't a back and forth, there's no negotiating in good faith, that was the best way to describe it," Bianchi said. [50:20]
Following Bianchi's comments, Gluck referenced the statements made by Curtis Polk, 23XI's team president. Polk likened the current situation between the two teams and NASCAR to a 'David versus Goliath' battle. He suggested that NASCAR's current practices might be a step backward from the previous charter agreement, following which Bianchi shared his perspective on the potential future developments.
"Nobody has the answer. This is really, pardon the pun, uncharted territory. If you're 23XI, you're holding out for a better deal, that's your perogative, that's great. But common sense would say NASCAR is going to give you a better deal than they gave the other 13 teams that signed. That is how it is going to work, if they gave you a better deal than the other 13 teams, then the other 13 teams are going to come back and say, 'What the heck? That's not how it works.' I don't know how it gets resolved. I think cooler heads will prevail," Bianchi said.
Jordan Bianchi opens up on 23XI Racing's three options in the charter agreement conflict with NASCAR
While speculating about 23XI Racing's potential actions in the coming weeks, Jordan Bianchi shared his thoughts on different scenarios. He suggested that in one scenario, 23XI might reluctantly sign the agreement due to the lack of a more favorable offer.
Additionally, Bianchi mentioned that 23XI could choose to run as an open car, which would result in a significant financial loss of up to $5 million. The third option would be to completely exit the sport. However, Bianchi argued that this option is not feasible for 23XI due to their substantial investments, including two charters, a third purchased charter, a newly built facility, and the overall financial commitment.
"I don't see how this gets resolved in a way that 23XI says, 'Hey we're happy with this.' To me, the deal is virtually done, it's almost like a 'take it or leave it.' It's like, 'These are the terms. This is what 13 teams agreed to. You're either on board with this or you're not.' And I just don't see a path forward," Bianchi explained. [53;15]
Given these possibilities, it will be interesting to observe 23XI Racing's decision in the coming weeks. Whether they choose to sign the proposed agreement or receive special treatment from NASCAR remains to be seen.