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In the ongoing legal battle between NASCAR and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, the sanctioning body is pushing back against the teams' request for an expedited hearing in their antitrust lawsuit. The teams are seeking an injunction for charter status for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, arguing that not having charter protection would cause irreparable harm. NASCAR, however, is resisting both the merit of the case and the proposed expedited timeline, citing a lack of urgency and supporting its position with recent legal filings.
NASCAR Responds to Teams' Claims of Irreparable Harm
At the heart of the teams' legal argument is their claim that without charter status, they risk missing races, which could result in a loss of status, sponsorships, and drivers. They also pointed to opt-out clauses in driver and sponsor contracts if 23XI and Front Row do not secure charter status for 2025. However, NASCAR’s legal team counters that these claims are speculative and not based on any immediate or concrete risk.
“Plaintiffs’ primary claim of irreparable harm—that they might lose sponsors, drivers, and fans if they compete as ‘open’ teams during NASCAR’s 2025 Cup Series season—is both unsubstantiated and baseless. They argue that while the teams fear missing races, this is not a certain outcome. NASCAR further points out that the court previously ruled against the teams’ argument that failing to secure a charter would cause irreversible damage," NASCAR’s lawyers wrote in their filing.
The sanctioning body also emphasized that the teams’ concerns about losing sponsorships and drivers are "mere risks" contingent on future events, making them too speculative to justify an urgent legal remedy.
NASCAR Rejects Expedited Hearing During Thanksgiving Period
Another point of contention is the teams' request for an expedited timeline. 23XI and Front Row Motorsports have asked the appeals court to conduct oral arguments before the Thanksgiving holiday in hopes of receiving a swift resolution before the start of the 2025 season. NASCAR, however, argued that this timeline is impractical and burdensome for both the court and the defendants, especially given the holiday period.
“Plaintiffs’ emergency motion to expedite proposes significant burdens on both Defendants and the Court without any valid justification. The organization stressed that there is no urgency that would warrant such a fast-tracked schedule, particularly with many of their legal representatives traveling for the holiday," NASCAR’s filing stated.
NASCAR proposed a revised schedule that would begin after Thanksgiving, giving both sides more time to prepare their briefs and allowing the court to review them before oral arguments. The timeline they suggested is as follows:
Appellants' opening brief: November 25, 2024
Appellees' response brief: December 23, 2024
Appellants' reply brief: December 30, 2024
Oral argument: At the Court’s convenience on or after January 26, 2025
NASCAR’s position is that there is no immediate need to rush the appeal and that the court’s decision will not affect the 2025 season. The teams, on the other hand, are pushing for a quicker resolution in hopes of securing charter status before the season begins.
Ongoing Legal Dispute Over Charter Status
The legal dispute between NASCAR and the two teams began when 23XI and Front Row opted not to sign the 2025-2031 charter agreement, leading to the lawsuit. Both teams argue that without a charter, they face significant business risks. NASCAR, however, remains firm in its stance that the teams have not demonstrated irreparable harm and that their claims are based on hypothetical scenarios rather than established facts.
As the legal battle continues, the outcome could have significant implications not only for 23XI and Front Row Motorsports but also for the broader NASCAR landscape, especially regarding how the charter system operates and impacts teams in the future.
