It was a quiet week in the courtroom battle between 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports this week. Here’s what happened.
On Nov. 20, Judge Bell ordered that the Defendants asked the court to exclude two of 23XI’s three owners from the courtroom in accordance to FRE rule 615. (At a party’s request, the court must order witnesses excluded from the courtroom so that they cannot hear other witnesses’ testimony. Or the court may do so on its own.)
The court is continuing to consider that request. Each side in the case is able to file a brief on the issues before noon on Nov. 25.
The court modified its standard juror questionnaire at the request of both parties earlier in the week.
On Nov. 14, FRM and 23XI added Anthony L. Smith as a witness to the case. In a court filing from earlier in the week, NASCAR declared that there is “no excuse” for the “untimely” move.
On Friday (Nov. 21) text messages between Steve O’Donnell and Steve Phelps were released, in which Phelps called the Superstar Racing Experience a “trash series” and said NASCAR needed to “put a knife” in the stock car series after it was announced that Hamlin would run the SRX race at Stafford Speedway in July 2023.
A member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), Samuel also covers NASCAR for Yardbarker, Field Level Media, and Heavy Sports. He will attend the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2025.