For over a year, NASCAR has been embroiled in a legal battle against two of the teams competing in the sport, who allege that the sport has had monopolistic control over the stock car racing market. 23XI and Front Row Motorsports have been working hard to prove their allegations, with the last few months working in their favor.
Now, less than a week remains before the case heads to the Jury Trial, which should last for another two weeks before the final verdict comes. However, when the Charlotte Court delivers its ruling, a legal expert believes it won’t be the last straw in the case.
NASCAR Antitrust Lawsuit Is Still Far From Over
Ever since the 2025 campaign ended, the off-track proceedings of the NASCAR world have been developing at a rapid pace. New evidence seems to be emerging every day, and each new revelation paints an increasingly unfavorable picture for the sport and its top management.
Most recently, the leaked text chains between the sport’s top brass became the talking point of the sport, before Michael Jordan was vindicated after unsealed NASCAR files revealed his financial commitment to his team.
With everything that has been going on, most people believe that the complainants (23XI and FRM) have the upper hand going into the Jury Trial, which is expected to conclude by the third week of December. However, Sportico’s Michael McCann believes that it would just be the end of the ‘first leg’ of the trial, which could stretch on for years.
The legal expert feels that the upcoming trial won’t be the last word in the saga. He’s confident that whichever side loses will move a higher court, and the chain will continue until the highest court delivers its ruling, exhausting all other options.
“The trial also won’t be the last word. Whichever side loses can, and almost certainly will, appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The Fourth Circuit might not have the last word either, as the losing party could then petition the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that this sports antitrust dispute, like so many others in recent years, lasts several years.”
Notably, neither side has spared any expense on their lawyers, with two of America’s top sports litigators going head-to-head in the courtroom. 23XI and FRM are represented by Winston & Strawn’s Jeffery Kessler, while Latham & Watkins’ Christopher Yates is representing NASCAR.
According to Kessler’s clients, NASCAR has engaged in practices that maintain a monopoly over the services of the premier stock car racing teams. They also claimed that the sport has imposed contractual restrictions on team and track owners to impede competition.
Meanwhile, NASCAR claims to have become the “industry leader” based on merit and judgment, thanks to smart decisions and sound business acumen. They also point out that some Cup Series teams already compete in other series.
Heading into the Jury Trial, both parties will try their best to prove their point, ultimately leaving it up to the Jury to decide who’s right and who’s wrong. That said, no matter how the lawsuit ends, the ultimate verdict of the entire saga will be felt on the racetracks for a long time to come.