NASCAR concern caused by Chase Elliott comes out – Sports News
NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell admitted in its antitrust trial with Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports that the sanctioning physique had issues about Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) after seeing Hendrick Motorsports star Chase Elliott race the stylized No. 9 within the sequence. The trial involving NBA legend Jordan’s 23XI and FRM in opposition to NASCAR is in its second week, having began on December 1 in a North Carolina courtroom.
The two Cup Series groups launched an antitrust lawsuit in opposition to NASCAR in October 2024, accusing the sanctioning physique of monopolistic practices surrounding its constitution settlement, which they refused to signal. The legal battle has seen a number of twists because it was launched, together with a preliminary injunction granted to 23XI and FRM on the finish of final yr to race as chartered groups within the 2025 season, just for that call to be overturned by an appeal in June of this yr.
The appeal resolution compelled 23XI and FRM to run the rest of the 2025 NASCAR season as “open” groups, which didn’t guarantee them weekly participation within the Cup Series on sure race weekends the place more groups had registered for “open” participation. Now, the case is at trial, and it has seen the likes of Denny Hamlin and Heather Gibbs ship emotional testimonies. The Judge presiding over the case, Kenneth Bell, has grow to be more and more annoyed with the opening statements and the trial’s gradual tempo.
The Judge ruled that NASCAR has monopoly energy over stock car racing, thereby eliminating the need for the groups to show this at trial; nonetheless, the method continues to be being performed out, and the case will likely be settled by a jury of six. Last Thursday, SRX, based by Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham, a startup stock car racing circuit that debuted in June 2021, was a scorching subject.
Ahead of the antitrust trial, newly surfaced textual content messages revealed NASCAR executives expressing frustration over drivers and crew homeowners collaborating within the sequence. A redacted participant within the message chain remarked, “Oh great, another owner racing in SRX,” prompting responses from O’Donnell and NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps. In the exchange, O’Donnell pushed back, stating, “This is NASCAR. Pure and simple. Enough. We need legal to take a shot at this.”
“These guys are just plain stupid. Need to put a knife in this trash series,” Phelps responded. Before SRX shut down, a big selection of NASCAR expertise took half within the sequence, with stars like Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, and even 23XI co-owner Hamlin among the many many who suited up to compete. Hendrick star Elliott racing the stylized No. 9 within the sequence additionally caused a explicit stir.
“I thought this looked more and more like NASCAR,” O’Donnell mentioned. NASCAR went as far as to stop SRX from holding an occasion at a Speedway Motorsports venue, citing its exclusivity provision.
O’Donnell later defined the transfer, saying it stemmed from the truth that “we were in a major negotiation” over new media rights and “we wanted to retain as much revenue as possible for the teams.”
Potential trial outcomes
If the jury guidelines in favor of 23XI and FRM, it can decide the financial damages, that are capped on the precise losses incurred by the events. By law, the Judge may later triple that quantity.
The Judge additionally holds the facility to impose antitrust remedies, doubtlessly together with actions corresponding to forcing the sale of tracks, modifying or eliminating charters, scrapping the Next Gen car program, or eradicating exclusivity clauses.
Suppose the jury sides with NASCAR, 23XI, and FRM would possible need to operate as “open” groups in 2026. While this situation may nonetheless occur even when the groups win, it could be much less possible. In both case, each groups face a vital risk of shutting down within a yr, relying on how any appeals unfold.
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