NASCAR’s high-stakes legal war with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports is barreling towards a December trial. Still, the racing giant just scored a massive, unrelated victory in a different courtroom. While the future of the charter system hangs in the balance, a Miami jury handed NASCAR a win in a bizarre $76 million case involving a political meme and cryptocurrency.
Why Did NASCAR Just Win a $76 Million Lawsuit?
A Miami jury has ruled in favor of NASCAR in its legal battle with the LetsGoBrandon Foundation, which accused the league of torpedoing its cryptocurrency, LGBCoin. On Monday night, the jury found for NASCAR the $76 million case brought by James Koutoulas, who alleged major financial losses after the sanctioning body withdrew its sponsorship approval.
According to Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, the jury determined that NASCAR could not have anticipated that its decision would affect the actions of LGBCoin holders.
The conflict began in 2022 when NASCAR denied an LGBCoin sponsorship for Brandon Brown in the Xfinity Series. The “LGB” in the name refers to “Let’s Go Brandon,” a viral phrase that became a veiled criticism of President Joe Biden. This all started after Brown’s victory at the Talladega Xfinity race in October 2021.
During a post-race interview, NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast told Brown the crowd was chanting “Let’s Go Brandon,” when they were actually shouting a profane chant at the president.
Following this incident, Brandon Brown announced on Dec. 30, 2021, that LGBCoin would be his primary sponsor for the 2022 season. However, NASCAR quickly denied the sponsorship. “We do not want to associate ourselves with politics, the left or the right,” then-NASCAR president Steve Phelps said in November 2021.
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“I think it’s an unfortunate situation,” Phelps continued. “Do we like the fact that it kind of started with NASCAR and then is gaining ground elsewhere? No, we’re not happy about that. But we will continue to make sure that we have respect for the office of the president.”
The lawsuit officially went to trial in September but largely flew under the radar for many fans. This was likely because of two other high-profile NASCAR cases: a now-resolved dispute between Legacy Motor Club and Rick Ware Racing, and the widely publicized legal battle between NASCAR and two of its teams, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.
Over his career, Brown competed in 150 Xfinity Series races, claiming just one win at Talladega. He also participated in 22 Truck Series events, securing a single top-10 finish. His last NASCAR appearance came in the 2022 Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix.