Denny Hamlin addressed growing frustrations a few months ago following NASCAR’s move to fully standardized parts in 2022. While the shift was intended to control costs, its ripple effects have extended far beyond that goal.

Competitive balance has tightened to the point where cars now mirror one another almost perfectly, leaving drivers with fewer tools to create separation on track. Passing has become more difficult, short-track racing has lost much of its edge, and teams have found themselves boxed into purchasing expensive components from approved suppliers, even when those parts fail to suit their setups or when alternatives elsewhere in the market might outperform them.

Hamlin explained that once NASCAR signs a category partner, teams lose their entire freedom within that space. If the sanctioning body locks in a fuel or tire partner, teams cannot seek sponsorship from a competing brand in the same category.

That restriction applies regardless of competitive benefit or financial upside. According to the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, the most critical performance elements on a race car, fuel and tires, sit squarely within those locked categories, yet teams remain unable to leverage them commercially.

Hamlin expanded on that point with a concrete example, saying, “I think we probably pay about $700,000 a year in tires. In tires. I mean, Goodyear is the official provider of NASCAR tires, but we have to purchase them. They’re not given to us. We have to purchase them.

“But that’s an agreement that they have with NASCAR itself. And again, it’s a category where we couldn’t go get a Michelin to sponsor our car.”

The structure has contributed to broader consequences across the garage. Mechanical innovation has slowed as teams operate within the limits of a spec car. Distinct driving styles carry less influence when equipment behaves the same across the field. At the same time, safety and performance concerns tied to mandated components often leave teams powerless to act independently.

NASCAR’s requirement that teams purchase parts exclusively from approved vendors has shifted problem-solving authority away from the organizations that race the cars weekly.

Manufacturers have felt the effects as well. Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota now have limited room to highlight engineering identity or technical evolution. With fewer avenues to differentiate, their ability to connect innovation to on-track performance has diminished, a factor that could affect long-term investment and fan engagement.

When flaws emerge in a required component, the impact becomes universal. Every team must wait for NASCAR and its supplier to address the issue. The early version of the Next Gen chassis highlighted that risk. Its excessive stiffness failed to absorb impact energy effectively, contributing to a series of injuries and concussions before adjustments were made.

Tires present another constraint. With Goodyear serving as the sole supplier, teams cannot explore alternative compounds or manufacturers to better match track characteristics or driving approaches.

That strategy exists in other forms of motorsport. Formula 1, while also operating under a single-supplier model with Pirelli, still allows teams to select from multiple compounds. NASCAR’s low-profile Next Gen tires have further altered feedback, reducing the tactile “feel” drivers rely on to manage grip and balance.

Although standardization was intended to reduce costs, several teams argue that the economics remain unfavorable. The mandated parts come with high purchase prices, yet teams do not retain ownership, as the components remain NASCAR property. That imbalance has fueled recent antitrust litigation, prompting teams to question the model’s sustainability.

Now, with NASCAR signaling openness to restoring limited innovation and increasing horsepower, optimism has begun to surface. If implemented, those changes could reintroduce speed, improve race quality, and give teams greater control starting next season.

Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin created history last week by forcing NASCAR to settle the antitrust lawsuit that was in trial at the courthouse since the beginning of the month. The settlement represented a huge win for every team owner in the sport and catapulted 23XI Racing to a legendary status. To think all this began in a basketball game that Hamlin happened to attend.

Speaking on the Digital Social Hour podcast earlier this year, the No. 11 driver narrated how he became a business partners with Jordan and how 23XI Racing came to exist. He said, “I met him at a Charlotte Hornets game. I had courtside seats.

“I’m leaving to go to the restroom at halftime. He had his security guys come grab me. He said, “Hey, Michael would like to meet you”, Hamlin added. 

“From that point on, he got my number, started asking me all these questions about NASCAR. And I’m like, ‘What? Wait a minute. You watch NASCAR?’ He’s like, ‘Dude, I never miss. Every Sunday, I’m sitting in front of a TV watching NASCAR.”

Jordan has been an avid NASCAR fan since childhood, developing the interest from the races that his father used to take him to as a kid. Following that first meeting, they’d taken their friendship to the next level by playing games of golf together.

Noticing Jordan’s interest, Hamlin requested that he supply the gear for his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team through Nike, and the NBA legend obliged. Soon enough, the idea of owning a race team together popped up, and the rest is history. 

Has Hamlin taught Jordan how to race cars?

Driving a stock car is not an easy business. Even for Jordan. Wanting to experience what it was like, he once asked Hamlin for the chance to get into the professional-grade simulator that Cup Series drivers use to prepare for races.

Following some special adjustments to the rig to fit his size, the Chicago Bulls legend got into the simulator and came out with a very clear picture of just how hard it is to handle a stock car.

Hamlin said, “He got in it, and he probably lasted 10 minutes, and he’s like, ‘It’s making me shake.’ They had to retrofit him to get in there in the first place. But they did, and he had a blast.” Jordan developed a newfound respect for what drivers did that day.

Activations: NASCAR Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 250; NASCAR Cup Series The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VisitPA.com

The money trail: The state’s Sports, Marketing and Tourism Account, a $5 million annual fund developed in 2022 within the state’s Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund, is backed by tax revenue generated from sports wagering in the state. The fund provided $250,000 to the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau to support the 2024 NASCAR tripleheader weekend at Pocono Raceway. Additionally, the state paid a total of $1.1 million for the title sponsorship of the 2024 and 2025 NASCAR Cup Series The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VisitPA.com.

What makes these great: Legislators were careful to get a quantifiable return on their grants, as event operators must include a link to VisitPA.com on all related marketing materials and must allocate in-kind sponsorship benefits to the state, valued at up to 10% of the total awarded grant amount. Also unique was that the grant for the raceway helped offset the purchase of machinery and equipment that was used during a $1.8 million capital improvements project, which benefits future track operations and events.

Measuring success: The Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office estimated that 60% of the 92,900 unique visitors to the region during NASCAR weekend — including fans and race participants — came from outside the Poconos. Those visitors booked an estimated 30,700 hotel and short-term rental room nights, generated $240,000 in lodging tax revenue and spent $27.4 million at local businesses. Additionally, the media value from the 2025 Cup Series race (which aired on Prime Video and HBO Max) was $3.8 million for the VisitPA and The Great American Getaway branding, according to the state’s Department of Community & Economic Development.

NASCAR has ended a major antitrust lawsuit, brought by team owners including basketball legend Michael Jordan of 23XI Racing and Bob Jenkins of Front Row Motorsports, after reaching a settlement on Thursday.

The agreement was finalised following eight days of a federal trial, representing a major concession by NASCAR that introduces “evergreen” or permanent charters for all teams and includes an undisclosed financial element.

The lawsuit was initiated after 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, two of the 15 Cup Series organisations, refused to sign a 2024 extension of NASCAR’s charter agreements.

These agreements grant teams franchise-like ownership over their entries and a share of prize money.

The plaintiffs argued that the charters did not provide teams with enough rights or financial viability, accusing NASCAR of operating a non-transparent monopoly that stifled competition.

Testimony during the trial revealed that teams received approximately $12–13 million annually under the old agreement, while they claimed they needed closer to $20 million to be financially sustainable.

The key commercial adjustment secured by the teams is the establishment of “evergreen” charters, subject to mutual agreement from the other charter holders.

This permanence is expected to significantly increase charter valuations, attracting greater investment and stability to the sport’s ownership base.

The settlement also returns the six respective charters (three each) to 23XI and Front Row Motorsports, restoring them to full chartered status alongside the other 30 chartered entries in the field.

While the financial terms of the settlement are confidential and were not specified in the joint statement, industry sources suggest the settlement included compensation for the plaintiff teams for lost income incurred while they raced unchartered in the 2025 season.

Furthermore, the amendment to the charter agreement for all teams is understood to include increased team influence, such as a return to a “strike rule” (now increased to five) allowing teams to veto major decisions, and a new portion of revenue from NASCAR’s international media rights deals.

The resolution, which avoids a court verdict that could have forced NASCAR to sell its tracks or face damages estimated at over USD300 million (AUD528 million), allows the series to focus on the future.

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The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has been making waves this year, setting a series of performance records hard to ignore. Chevrolet brought a pre-production ZR1 equipped with the ZTK Performance Package to some of the most demanding tracks in the US. This resulted in five new production-car lap records – at Watkins Glen, Road America, Road Atlanta, and both the Full and Grand layouts at Virginia International Raceway.

Chevrolet’s most powerful combustion-only Corvette, the ZR1, may sit in the shadow of the flashier all-wheel-drive ZR1X, but it continues to prove its strength. Recently, with veteran driver Ron Fellows at the wheel, the ZR1 set another production-car lap record. At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), it comfortably outpaced the Ford Mustang GTD, adding to its growing list of achievements.

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In 2026, the Corvette ZR1, driven by Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows, smashed the Mosport production-car lap record with a quick 1:18.2. This new time beat the previous 1:22.12 mark, set in 2023 by a Corvette Z06, also piloted by Fellows, further highlighting both his skill and the ZR1’s impressive track performance.

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At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the 2026 Corvette ZR1 showcased its extreme performance with the optional ZTK package, which adds massive downforce. Powering the car is a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8 mounted toward the rear, giving it excellent balance and agility. Chevrolet claims the ZR1 can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 2.3 seconds, making it one of the quickest Corvettes ever. With the ZTK kit, the car produces up to 1,200 pounds of downward force, ensuring superior grip, stability, and cornering ability during high-speed track runs.

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Equipped with the ZTK aero package, the Corvette ZR1 produces over 550 kilograms of downforce at high speeds. This added grip allows drivers to brake later and maintain higher speeds through Mosport’s fast, flowing sections, where confidence in the car is crucial. The balance of stability and control helps unlock quicker lap times without the need for dramatic maneuvers. Instead, the ZR1 delivers a consistent, relentless pace, showing how advanced aerodynamics can transform performance into smooth efficiency and competitive advantage on demanding tracks.

BOWMANVILLE – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park has been purchased by a new ownership group.

The new group is led by Peter Thomson with Chris Pfaff and Alek Krstajic as partners.

CTMP is a multi-track motorsport facility outside Bowmanville, Ont., that opened in 1961.

“Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is a place with deep heritage and a loyal community,” said Pfaff in a statement. “Our team is proud to be its next steward. We’re committed to respecting everything that makes CTMP special today, while building the foundation for an elevated experience in the years ahead.”

The existing management team and staff, led by Myles Brandt, will remain in place.

A broader vision for the future of the site will be unveiled at the Canadian International Auto Show in February 2026, where the ownership group will share the roadmap for CTMP’s long-term development, investment strategy, and enhanced role within the Canadian motorsport and entertainment spaces.

The team encourages current customers, partners, and media to reach out with any immediate questions about CTMP’s future.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2025.