HAMPTON, Ga. — 23XI Racing, the NASCAR team co-owned by Michael Jordan, said Saturday that it had skipped a deadline to sign a new charter agreement with the sanctioning body because «it did not have an opportunity to fairly bargain» for a new contract.
The two-car team owned by Jordan, active driver Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk — Jordan's right-hand man — revealed that teams had a Friday night, NASCAR-imposed deadline to sign new charter agreements that run from 2025 through 2031.
In a letter to NASCAR, 23XI said it was refusing to sign the extension. The team's revelation came on the eve of the start of NASCAR's playoffs as garage speculation Saturday indicated that all but two Cup Series teams have signed the new agreements.
But three people speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the yearslong negotiations said the teams felt «threatened and coerced» by NASCAR to sign the extensions or risk them being revoked.