Heading into the final race of the 2025 season, Denny Hamlin will be fighting for his first-ever Cup Series championship, with the hope that his ailing father will be able to witness the ultimate triumph. For that reason alone, nothing in the world would be more important for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, and he would want to gather all his focus on the all-important race.

But the team owner in Hamlin won’t let that happen as the oldest driver in the Cup Series continues to stay up-to-date with the ongoing charter lawsuit. And with rumors of a possible out-of-court settlement catching wind, the 44-year-old has only one thing to say.

Are Denny Hamlin and 23XI Open to Settlement Talks With NASCAR?

When 23XI and Front Row Motorsports lost their charter status, it seemed the complainants would be on a downward trajectory that would never end. Many felt that settling the case outside the court would be the best way forward for the two teams, especially given that they would be losing money each weekend while competing as open entries.

However, the complainants stood their ground, and thanks to this, they now find themselves in a strong position in the case, with Judge Kenneth Bell ruling in their favor. With the latest judgment, NASCAR has gone on the back foot, and rumors are starting to swirl of a possible out-of-court settlement between the parties involved.

Despite the rumors, Hamlin has made it clear that no such agreement is on the table. After everything the teams have fought for, Hamlin says there’s no turning back now.

Speaking with Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, the No. 11 driver was asked about any updates regarding the case and whether he wanted to be kept in the loop this week.

“About some movement and lawsuits and more settlement stuff, I’m curious — Do you get updates this week, or do you ask to be left alone this week?”

Hamlin replied, “No, I always get updates about everything, but mostly that stuff was all through the media and not actual dialogue.” Pockrass followed up, “So there’s nothing close?” Hamlin simply replied, “No.”

Denny Hamlin said he has been getting updates on the lawsuit this week — he hasn’t asked to just concentrate on racing for the title — but indicated no settlement is imminent. pic.twitter.com/oAeYwUfykJ

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 30, 2025

Hamlin’s words come as a sign of the high morale that his camp is currently riding on, thanks to Judge Bell’s latest ruling and its subsequent course of action. The court proceeded to unseal and unredact a series of documents that were never intended to be a public record.

One of the documents mentioned above was a copy of the latest charter agreement, signed by more than half the grid. The details made public via those documents shocked the NASCAR world, as they shattered the belief that the Cup Series was a high-paying sport for its drivers.

Despite a $1.1 billion media rights agreement and several additional sources of multi-million-dollar income, NASCAR only offers 5.16% of the total race purse to the race winner. The payout even includes all relevant team payments, leaving the race winner with very little.

That, and several other questionable practices, have put NASCAR in a difficult position, and the only way forward (according to 23XI and FRM) is a jury trial set to begin in December.