NASCAR veteran fuming over 23XI Racing and Michael Jordan's statement amid legal battle over charters
On Wednesday, October 2, 23XI Racing released a statement, announcing their decision to sue NASCAR. This left veteran crew chief Larry McReynolds with a bad taste in his mouth, as he felt that the current circumstances and the place of the team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin in the garage is relative to other teams.
Last month, all but two organizations in the garage, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports, signed NASCAR's proposed charter agreement. Legacy organizations like Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Richard Childress Racing, all of whom have been in the sport for multiple decades, found NASCAR's terms agreeable. In an announcement via their social media on September 7, 23XI Racing stated that they had not been given an 'opportunity to fairly bargain for a new Charter contract'.
However, 23XI Racing's disagreement with NASCAR's proposal and the team's decision to take the matters to the court didn't sit well with McReynolds, who said (as quoted by @NASCAR_BRETT on X):
"We've got an organization that's been here not even four years that all of a sudden is saying 'we gotta change the way NASCAR's run'. I'm all about change. Change is what makes you better. But you know what? When I see Richard Childress, Jack Roush, Rick Hendrick, and Joe Gibbs that's been here longer than some of these guys have been pooping yellow ... and they signed off and said this is good ... we're okay," McReynolds said.
To Larry McReynolds, what 23XI Racing did was 'wrong'. The crew chief and FOX Sports analyst called out 23XI Racing, which, in his opinion was neither competitive nor has been a part of the sport for a long time, for disagreeing with with how NASCAR has operated since its inception.
Michael Jordan called NASCAR 'unfair' in 23XI Racing statement
On October 2, 2024, 23XI Racing announced that they'd be filing a lawsuit against NASCAR and CEO Jim France. The organization released two statements, one being from the two teams, 23XI and FRM, and the other from the NBA legend and co-owner of 23XI, Michael Jordan.
In his statement, Jordan spoke about him being known as a 'a fierce competitor' who is driven to taste success with his team every week on the track. In light of the charter situation, he claimed that the manner in which NASCAR was operating was 'unfair' for the teams, sponsors, and fans.
"I love the sport of racing and the passion of our fans, but the way NASCAR is run today is unfair to teams, drivers, sponsors and fans. Today’s action shows I’m willing to fight for a competitive market where everyone wins," Jordan said.
In addition, in the joint statement, the two teams deemed NASCAR as "monopolistic bullies", and said that with their antitrust case, they sought to create a 'more competitive and fair sport'.