CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – Michael Jordan’s escalating legal war with NASCAR moves into a federal courtroom Monday, launching a high-stakes jury trial that could fundamentally alter the structure of top-tier American motorsports. The antitrust case, filed by Jordan’s team 23XI Racing alongside Front Row Motorsports, accuses NASCAR of operating as an unlawful monopoly through its control of race tracks, charter agreements, and competition rules. The trial in North Carolina is expected to expose internal finances, private executive communications, and years of simmering hostility between NASCAR leadership and team owners. Denny Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner and co-owner of 23XI with Jordan and business executive Curtis Polk, has publicly signaled that the trial will be explosive, accusing NASCAR of misleading fans for decades and promising that damaging truths will surface. NASCAR leadership, including series president Steve Phelps, has acknowledged efforts to settle ahead of trial failed, setting the stage for a courtroom confrontation with sweeping implications.
At the heart of the lawsuit is NASCAR’s controversial charter system, introduced in 2016, which guarantees teams entry into every race and provides a share of weekly prize money. While most teams eventually signed renewed charter agreements in late 2024, 23XI and Front Row refused, arguing the terms failed to deliver permanent charters, meaningful revenue sharing, or any voice in governance. The two organizations claim that without meaningful competition or alternative sanctioning bodies, NASCAR’s dominance constitutes an illegal monopoly. As a result of operating as non-chartered “open teams,” they allege they lost millions of dollars this season despite qualifying all six of their combined cars for every race. The litigation has already revealed that NASCAR generated more than $100 million in revenue during 2024 and has laid bare deeply unguarded executive remarks, including harsh insults aimed at prominent team owners and threats directed toward rival racing ventures. The culture war cuts both ways, however, with evidence also revealing bitter animosity from team leadership toward NASCAR’s ruling France family.
The courtroom battle is expected to feature some of the most powerful figures in the sport. NASCAR has sought to compel testimony from legendary team owners Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske, though both have tried to limit or avoid participation. While many non-suing teams submitted statements supporting the charter system, several also quietly acknowledged that the 2025 agreements still fall short of their long-standing financial demands. Jordan has been granted permission to attend the full trial alongside Front Row owner Bob Jenkins, positioning both men as the public faces of the lawsuit. The potential outcomes are dramatic: if the teams prevail, the jury could award massive financial damages, which the judge could multiply, and NASCAR could be forced to dismantle the charter system, sell racetracks, or even strip ownership from the France family. If NASCAR wins, 23XI and Front Row could face financial ruin by 2026, while the unused charters—valued at tens of millions of dollars each—would likely be sold to new investors. Either way, the verdict threatens to permanently reshape the future of American stock car racing.