With the NASCAR trial well into its second week of jury proceedings, witness testimonies continue to provide shocking updates on the case, with the league currently facing a worrying position. Jim France, the current CEO of the sport, was among those who took the stand most recently, and as his testimony concluded, many felt that the 81-year-old’s statements may have irreparably harmed NASCAR’s case.

However, Chris Yates and his team continued their defence as planned and were ready to bring another witness to the stand to prove their point. However, before they could do so, Judge Kenneth Bell ruled that the testimony was unnecessary, delivering a critical blow to the sport’s defensive strategy on the day.

NASCAR Handed Critical Blow to Their Defense by Judge Kenneth Bell

Day 1 of France’s testimony saw Jeffery Kessler relentlessly question the NASCAR chairperson with questions around the case, even digging into the personal finances earned by him via the sport. There were questions around the nearly $400 million payment to the France family trust between 2021 and 2024 that added fuel to the fire, but through it all, France remained true to his unmoved stance.

Day 2 of his testimony saw him face friendlier fire, with the NASCAR lawyers asking him questions. While it could have been a session to repair the sport’s image, France’s final statements around what he plans for the future might well have damaged NASCAR’s case even more.

To follow that up, Yates and his team had planned to bring in FOX Sports’ Jordan Bazant on the stand. They wanted Bazant to explain how a competitor series would hurt NASCAR, but Matt Weaver, through an X update, revealed that Judge Bell denied the testimony.

According to the update, Judge Bell was unsure whether the testimony was necessary, as he believed it wasn’t relevant to the dispute at hand.

“Yates wanted to introduce testimony from FOX Sports’ Jordan Bazant that showed a competitor series would hurt NASCAR. Judge Bell wasn’t sure that needed to be presented to the jury because it’s not additive to the dispute at hand. Judge Bell also says that if there was a competitor series in this hypothetical, the teams would be in it, and not NASCAR. So he ruled against allowing it.”

According to Lawrence Buterman, a NASCAR lawyer, the teams involved in the sport also receive a portion of the payment from FOX. Therefore, in the event of added competition from a rival series, the teams would have faced a pay loss.

To make matters worse for NASCAR, the 23XI and FRM attorneys have presented definitive proof of multi-million-dollar losses to the teams, even with no rival series currently in play. Most notably, Hendrick Motorsports has incurred $20 million in operational costs over the last few years, despite winning two championships during the same period.

That, and the “brick wall” persona of France during the jury trial, has added even more pressure on the NASCAR lawyers, whose case seems to have reached a danger point. And with both parties hoping to hear a verdict by the end of this week, it looks like NASCAR doesn’t have much time left to save its case.

After making her initial runs last year in Funny Car and a trio of events this year behind the wheel of Del Worsham’s car, former Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Julie Nataas has further committed her future to NHRA’s Professional ranks by hiring PowerDrive Motorsport Futures to represent her in partnership development.

PowerDrive Motorsport Futures, led by founder and motorsport executive Tami Powers, will drive all commercial strategy, sponsorship development, and brand partnerships as Nataas transitions into the sport’s most demanding and high-profile category.

Nataas, the 2023 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world champion, is known for her precision, consistency, and fierce competitive spirit and represents the next wave of elite talent rising through the NHRA ladder system.

“I look forward to working with Julie both on and off the track,” said Powers. “She’s an incredibly talented driver with a competitive edge that pairs well with Nitro Funny Cars. There is no limit to what she can achieve.”

“Partnering with PowerDrive Motorsport Futures at this stage in my career is incredibly meaningful,” said Nataas. “As I step into an NHRA Nitro Funny Car, having a team that truly understands both the sport and the business side of racing gives me confidence to go all in on my Funny Car journey. I’m excited to build something powerful together in 2026 and beyond.”
 

What’s Happening?

Per its settlement with teams 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, NASCAR will provide the sport’s 15 charter owning organizations with permanent, or “evergreen” charters, a change that these teams have requested since the start of negotiations in late 2023.

NASCAR’s charter system sits on a fine line of complexity and simplicity. 

On the surface level, 15 teams own a combined 36 charters that allow them a share of revenue with NASCAR and automatic entry into every Cup Series race.

Beyond that, there are small details to the structure of the charter system, much more crucial to those who own these charters.

One of these small details, the permanence of charters, was a point of contention during the latest negotiations of the charter agreement. 

While charters may seem similar to those franchises found in other major league sports, such as the NFL, MLB, or NBA, NASCAR’s charter system is based upon a negotiated agreement between NASCAR and its teams.

Furthermore, the system that NASCAR chose could go away at the conclusion of each agreement’s term. Of course, NASCAR would likely open a new can of worms had they ever dismantled the system, but this hypothetical scenario is no longer a problem for teams or NASCAR.

NASCAR’s teams will get their permanent charters as part of the breakthrough settlement in the 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The exact details of the agreement have yet to be confirmed, but the two sides have dropped key details.

The teams will have their six charters (which they lost due to not signing the 2025 charter agreement) returned for 2026. But, most crucial of all, a statement from 23XI, FRM, and NASCAR, the parties claimed that the settlement agreement features “a form of ‘evergreen’ charters, subject to mutual agreement.”

“As a condition of the settlement agreement, NASCAR will issue an amendment to existing charter holders detailing the updated terms for signature, which will include a form of ‘evergreen charters,’ subject to mutual agreement. The financial terms of the settlement are confidential and will not be released.”

This term was utilized throughout the lawsuit, and while there could be some narrow differences from permanent charters, 23XI Racing lawyer Jeffrey Kessler confirmed to the media that these evergreen charters are “forever.”

Furthermore, these charters are not applicable just to 23XI Racing, as all 15 charter-owning teams in NASCAR will be presented with an updated draft of the 2025 NASCAR Charter Agreement featuring this stipulation.

The Importance of Permanent Charters

Though it may seem easy to assume NASCAR would follow the lead of other major sports leagues, like the NFL, MLB, or NBA, in giving out some form of permanent franchise, NASCAR is privately owned, with the sport’s founding family, the France family, sitting atop the sports corporate ladder.

Throughout the charter negotiations that began in December 2023, NASCAR’s teams wanted the security that their charters would be retained beyond the 2025 Charter Agreement, and its potential extension at the conclusion of a seven-year term.

Though this was a hot-button issue for teams, they did not receive this in the final draft offered on September 6, 2024. That agreement, somewhat controversial and often brought up during the trial, was signed by 13 of the 15 charter owning teams, with 23XI and FRM left as the two holdouts.

Part of the reason the team did not receive this stipulation is the sport’s opposition, including that of NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France. During the past 10 days of trial, when asked about the viability of permanent or evergreen charters, France often cited industry uncertainty as a reason to withhold permanent charters.

While this could still be France’s stance on permanent charters, this settlement was seen as a way to move forward for the betterment of both sides and, most importantly, the sport itself. As NBA legend Michael Jordan said on the courthouse steps:

“In all honesty when you get to the finish line sometimes you have to think, not just for yourself, but you got to think about the sport as a whole, and I think both parties got to that point, and we realized that we could have an opportunity to settle this and we dove in and we actually did it.” — Michael Jordan

As 2026 rapidly approaches, Hendrick Motorsports is slowly rolling out its new looks for the new year.

With four cars and drivers and a number of new paint schemes to keep track of:

All four of the team’s drivers – Kyle Larson (not revealed here yet), Chase Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman – will sport fresh liveries on their Chevrolets next season. Here’s a look at what they will look like.

William Byron No. 24 All-Pro Chevrolet

Check out William Byron’s No. 24 All-Pro look from all angles here!

Chase Elliott No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet

Took a peek at Chase Elliott’s 2026 UniFirst scheme from all angles here!

Chase Elliott No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet

See the scheme: A complete look at Chase Elliott’s new NAPA Auto Parts ride!

Chase Elliott No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet

From all angles: Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Kelley Blue Book livery for 2026 revealed!

Alex Bowman No. 48 Ally Chevrolet

Check out a gallery of Alex Bowman’s new No. 48 Ally Chevrolet for 2026!

William Byron No. 24 HP Chevrolet

A more in-depth look at William Byron’s No. 24 HP scheme for the 2026 season!

Related Article: NASCAR News: Larson uses lucky break to win his 2nd Cup title

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports got their “evergreen charters,” also referred to as “permanent franchises,” after NASCAR settled its ongoing antitrust trial on Thursday. A settlement was reached between the parties a week and a half after the trial began in a North Carolina court, just shy of 14 months after they initially filed their antitrust lawsuit.

In October 2024, 23XI and FRM launched an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, accusing the sanctioning body of monopolistic practices for refusing to sign the latest charter agreement. Nearly 14 months of legal back-and-forth culminated at the start of this month, as the case went to trial before Judge Kenneth Bell.

Concerns were raised over the long-term future of premier stock car racing, regardless of the trial’s outcome. However, barely after NASCAR began its defense, an official settlement was reached between the two parties. Judge Bell commended both sides for reaching an agreement.

The full details of the settlement have yet to be released, but key players on both sides have now expressed a desire to move forward together and are excited for NASCAR’s future. “From the beginning, this lawsuit was about progress. It was about making sure our sport evolves in a way that supports everyone: teams, drivers, partners, employees, and fans,” 23XI co-owner and NBA legend Michael Jordan said. “With a foundation to build equity and invest in the future and a stronger voice in the decisions ahead, we now have the chance to grow together and make the sport even better for generations to come. I’m excited to watch our teams get back on the track and compete hard in 2026.”

NASCAR CEO and Chairman Jim France added: “This outcome gives all parties the flexibility and confidence to continue delivering unforgettable racing moments for our fans, which has always been our highest priority since the sport was founded in 1948. We worked closely with race teams and tracks to create the NASCAR charter system in 2016, and it has proven invaluable to their operations and to the quality of racing across the Cup Series. Today’s agreement reaffirms our commitment to preserving and enhancing that value, ensuring our fans continue to enjoy the very best of stock car racing for generations to come. We are excited to return the collective focus of our sport, teams and race tracks toward an incredible 78th season that begins with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.”

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The “financial terms of the settlement are confidential and will not be released,” according to 23XI and FRM. However, one major win in the settlement was revealed, with NASCAR agreeing to “evergreen charters,” which are “subject to mutual agreement.”

What are ‘evergreen charters’?

“Evergreen charters” is a fancy way of saying permanency. Permanent franchises were a key component of the antitrust lawsuit, with NASCAR initially determined not to offer charter status beyond the life of any current media rights contract, which took effect this year.

23XI, FRM, and fellow NASCAR competitors can now have their “forever franchises,” which will guarantee their long-term security in the Cup Series. Other team owners, such as Joe Gibbs and Richard Childress, expressed concerns over NASCAR’s last charter agreement, which they had signed.

In his testimony in court, Childress stated that permanent charters would secure RCR’s future. “I knew financially I couldn’t lose my Charter,” Childress said during his 50 minutes of testimony. “We are a blue-collar operation and proud of it. If we didn’t sign the Charter agreement in 2024, we would have lost them (two Cup Charters).”

“I would like for it (Richard Childress Racing) to be running 60 years from now, but with this current business model we can’t do it,” Childress continued.

“We continue to build enterprise value (with the PBR franchise),” the 80-year-old Childress added. “It wouldn’t cost NASCAR anything to give us full franchises like the PBR (a franchise Childress purchased in the Professional Bull Riders Association for $3 million).”

North Florida Motorsports Park plans a 600-acre development in Nassau County.

A map with the announcement this week shows the park on undeveloped land north along County Road 108 west of Interstate 95 near the Florida Welcome Center rest stop. Access to the park is from County Road 108.

RELATED: Motorsports complex gets green flag in Palatka

The park says it will feature a racetrack designed by Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indy 500 winner and International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee. Rahal is also a partner in the project.

Read the rest of this story at the Jacksonville Daily Record, a Jacksonville Today news partner.