Front Row and 23XI owners say NASCAR’s charter system is unfair and anti-competitive, testifying in an antitrust trial.

Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins and 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin testified in a federal antitrust trial, alleging NASCAR’s charter system is monopolistic and financially unsustainable for smaller teams. Jenkins said a last-minute, 112-page charter deal—delivered with a midnight deadline—was rushed and unfair, calling it “insulting” and likening it to “taxation without representation.” Hamlin described signing the charter as a “death certificate” for his team, citing over $700,000 in 2022 fees and a $100 million investment at risk. Both claimed the system stifles competition, limits revenue fairness, and pressures teams to accept unfavorable terms. The trial, involving 23XI and Front Row, argues NASCAR’s structure violates antitrust laws, while NASCAR defends the charter system as essential for stability.