After four days in the court, District Judge Kenneth Bell has fired a warning shot at 23XI Racing and NASCAR. The two parties are in trial for an antitrust lawsuit, and Judge Bell believes the proceedings are not progressing as quickly as they should.
He has urged both sides to pick up the pace and warned juries could “revolt” if the trial drags on for too long.
What Has Judge Bell Said to NASCAR and 23XI Racing’s Legal Representatives?
After the jury stepped out, Judge Bell wasted no time delivering his message. He told both sides to pick up the pace, warning that a third week of trial simply isn’t an option, and the jury wouldn’t be thrilled if things dragged on.
Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports writes: “Judge also told both sides after jury left that the case needs to move quicker. Kessler said he hoped to finish his side by Tuesday and judge said the jury would revolt if this case goes 15 days instead of 10.”
23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are expected to wrap up their arguments by Tuesday or Wednesday, leaving NASCAR the rest of the week for its defense. But Judge Bell isn’t convinced the current pace is getting the job done.
Racing America’s Toby Christie has also confirmed this, writing: “Judge Bell has issued a warning to both sides to pick up the pace. The trial cannot drag to three weeks long, or the jury will revolt.”
“He says both sides need to instruct their witnesses to just quickly answer hard questions instead of trying to deny obvious facts, and that exhibits need to stop beating horses past their death date,” he added.
Judge Bell isn’t exactly impressed with witnesses who refuse to give straight answers. It’s nothing new in a trial setting, but he’s determined to get things back on track.
Reports from the courtroom indicate he might personally press witnesses for clearer responses, or even put them on the clock to speed up the proceedings.
Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s president, squared off with 23XI lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, fighting to shift control of the narrative. But the real shock came when O’Donnell didn’t dispute Kessler’s claim that NASCAR operates like a monopoly.
O’Donnell insisted that 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports would still get guaranteed purse money even if they raced without charters in 2026. Kessler wasn’t buying it, saying the financial gap between chartered and non-charter teams is massive.
We’ll see just how quickly things move now that the trial has been sped up. Day 5 of the NASCAR case is about to begin, and the entire courtroom is waiting for the final verdict.