Denny Hamlin speculates on NASCAR motives for changing charter limit, fires back: ‘You’re not going to stop that’

Rumor has it that NASCAR is looking to limit the amount of charters that teams can possess and Denny Hamlin doesn’t like it. The 23XI Racing co-owner isn’t sure about the motives of the powers that be, either.

Denny Hamlin is in the market for one of those Stewart-Haas Racing charters. He wants to expand to three cars and bring Corey Heim up to the Cup Series full-time. Allegedly, that is. None of that is confirmed at the moment.

With that new Air Speed building, Hamlin has room to move to a four-car operation.

However, NASCAR might have other ideas. They want to limit teams to three charters in the future, with Hendrick and Joe Gibbs grandfathered in at four teams.

“That’s just something that’s coming to a head now,” Hamlin said of the changes coming to the charter agreement on Actions Detrimental. “We’ll see here shortly but again, there are things in the charter agreement that are changing that is being put in there by NASCAR that I don’t think the teams themselves actually requested.”

When he got a little pushback from his producer Travis Rockhold, who was playing Devil’s Advocate, Denny Hamlin doubled down. More owners won’t create more competition in the playoffs. The top teams are still going to be the top teams.

“That’s what it’s going to be anyway. Come see me when it’s the final eight or final twelve [in the playoffs]. Ain’t gonna be but just a couple of teams in there and you’re just not going to stop that,” he continued. “[NASCAR] is trying to. They’re trying everything they can. Parity, parity, parity, but it’s the same freaking three or four cars that are up front every single week. You’re not going to stop the best drivers, the best teams, the best crew chiefs, the best pit crews from being the best. You’re not going to stop that.

“So, I don’t know. It will be interesting to see how it all comes together but I can speak for my group just saying we’d like to get a deal done sooner than later because certainly it’s hard to plan for the future when we don’t have a charter agreement and right now we don’t.”

Competition and parity are what NASCAR will say are the reasons for the move to three charters. However, Denny Hamlin believes it’s another reason. They want certain ownership to come in, and others to stay out.

“They want some ownership groups, they don’t want others, that’s for sure,” the driver said. “I’m just letting you know. They want to pick and choose their ownership groups.”

Denny Hamlin feels like he knows why the change is happening. NASCAR has its own reasons. Which do you believe?