Kevin Harvick takes issue with timing of 23XI 'chaos' amid charter uncertainty
Kevin Harvick shared some interesting thoughts on 23XI Racing holding out on NASCAR’s new charter deal. On Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, the NASCAR legend weighed in on the 23XI’s charter situation during the early stages of the playoffs.
“Worst timing ever because it’s the most stressful time of the year,” Harvick said. “You have everything that’s going on with the playoffs, you’re going into the first round of the playoffs and for Denny [Hamlin] he had about as bad of a first round as you could possibly have at Atlanta. Now you got to go to Watkins Glen, oh by the way it’s all kinds more prep than what you would prep for a regular oval, and then you got to go to Bristol.
“Sure, he could go to Watkins Glen and win, and he could go to Birstol and win, but now you have all this chaos around you that you didn’t have at the same time that you start the most stressful part of the season. It’s not ideal.”
Hamlin co-owns 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan, and the team is one of the two NASCAR Cup Series organizations that did not sign NASCAR’s proposed charter agreement that most owners signed on Friday. Front Row Motorsports is the other team that has not signed the deal.
What 23XI Racing hasn’t signed new NASCAR charter deal
“23XI decided to not meet a NASCAR-imposed deadline last night to sign charter agreements for its two cars for 2025-2031. 23XI’s position, as stated in a letter to NASCAR, is that we did not have an opportunity to fairly bargain for a new charter contract,” the team said in a statement on Saturday.
“We notified NASCAR what issues needed to be addressed, in writing, at the deadline. We are interested in engaging in constructive discussions with NASCAR to address these issues and move forward in a way that comes to a fair resolution, while strengthening the sport we all love.
“At 23XI Racing, we remain committed to competing at the highest level while also standing firm in our belief that NASCAR should be governed by fair and equitable practices.”
23XI includes Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace as its full-time Cup Series drivers. Reddick won the regular season championship and is currently competing in the playoffs. Wallace, who has won two Cup Series races in his career, just missed the playoffs this season.