If the drama from Sonoma wasn’t enough, this week is only getting crazier in the NASCAR realm. A new wrinkle in the 23XI and FRM lawsuit against NASCAR, plus now a new tire for this weekend’s Cup race at Dover. This is the NASCAR News Flash for July 14th through the 19th.

Goodyear Brings New Tire for Dover, a New Lawsuit Wrinkle, and More: NASCAR News Flash

After several crazy weeks of road course racing, NASCAR returns to ovals this week. The Monster Mile at Dover Motor Speedway will have plenty of twists and turns. But before the drivers can even arrive at the Dover, Delaware, track, some big news in the garage area has people talking. 23XI and Front Row Motorsports appear to be on track to lose their charters this week, but they filed a new motion on Monday with a new case against NASCAR, alleging that the sport may be considering selling those charters to someone else, potentially right under their noses. Not to mention, the Cup race will see a new Goodyear tire brought to the track.

23XI and Front Row Motorsports Bring New Injunction Filing Against NASCAR

In what is now their third try to force a preliminary injunction against NASCAR. Michael Jordan’s team, along with Front Row Motorsports filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would ensure the teams keep racing their three chartered cars for the rest of the 2025 season.

Which had come into question after the team’s initial injunction was denied. Which would have seen them begin racing this weekend at Dover without charters. This time, the teams seem to have evidence that they claim that NASCAR wants to sell the six charters that are in question.

” Since the Fourth Circuit’s decision, NASCAR has signaled its intention to immediately move to sell or issue Plaintiffs’ charters to other entities- putting Plaintiffs in irreparable jeopardy of never getting their charters back and going out of business,” 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports said in its court filing.

They also claim they have a letter from NASCAR indicating exactly that, according to Austin Konenski from Motorsports Wire.

Read More: 23XI and Front Row Denied Rehearing, Clash Returning to Bowman Gray and More: NASCAR News Flash

Goodyear Brings New Tire for One Time Only

According to Rick Heinrich, the Goodyear NASCAR product manager, the NASCAR Cup Series race will feature a brand new Goodyear Eagle tire that hasn’t been seen before. In a one-race move, this new Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setup has been designed specifically for the ever-changing track surface at Dover. The tire in itself has been designed to withstand the high speeds and high loads associated with racing at the Monster Mile.

“Laying rubber down on this concrete surface is a key factor in the design of our tread compounds for Dover,” Heinrich said. ” While the track turns black as cars lay rubber down during green flag racing, the hot tires then pick up this same rubber when the track cools under cautions. Dover presents a unique opportunity to engineer a tire to help in laying down rubber on a particularly smooth surface, and we’ve designed the product to do just that.”

The only real question mark with this tire is the fact that it wasn’t tested. It’s going to make Dover interesting, to say the least.

Huge Opportunity for Young Stars Connected to Hendrick Motorsports

If you have been wondering whether or not Rajah Caruth was going to get a shot in an Xfinity Series car this year, you have your answer. Sure, many were hoping it would be behind the wheel of the No. 17 Hendrickcars.com Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports.

The No. 17 will be on track this weekend at Dover, but it will have 20-year-old Jake Finch behind the wheel. The son of former NASCAR team owner James Finch will make his Xfinity Series debut at the Monster Mile.

Next up in the No. 17! @jamessfinch will drive the No. 17 @HendrickCars Chevy at the @MonsterMile. pic.twitter.com/g8SNtsqcsq

— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) July 14, 2025

He won’t be alone on Saturday. Caruth will also attempt to make the field behind the wheel of the No. 32 Chevrolet for Jordan Anderson Racing. He will get a shot in the No. 32 with sponsorship from Events DC. A great opportunity for Rajah and an entertainment and recreation organization from his hometown of Washington, DC.

Excited to return to @NASCAR_Xfinity! Grateful to represent the home team @TheEventsDC, and thank you to @JARnascar and @TeamChevy for the support. pic.twitter.com/4Vb4JP083X

— Rajah Kirby Caruth (@rajahcaruth_) July 14, 2025

It makes for an entertaining weekend in the Xfinity Series, with ARCA Series regular Lavar Scott also making his Xfinity Series debut this weekend.

Plenty of storylines to keep an eye on this as NASCAR heads to Dover.

Read More: Pit Road Fights, Drama on Racetrack Highlight Shane van Gisbergen’s Win at Sonoma

Main Photo: Sean Gardner, Getty Images

Recording Date: 4/26/2025

At this year’s Monterey Motorsports Reunion, the legacy of F1 takes the spotlight.

Formula 1 is having an exciting year in 2025. A film starring Brad Pitt that tells a captivating story surrounding the prestige and mystique of the racing series has just been released, Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated racing debut with Scuderia Ferrari has officially begun, and the legendary racing series is celebrating its 75th anniversary, representing one of the most intense racing stages in the world for three quarters of a century.

Having spent the last 75 years pushing the racing world to new heights and influencing the highest echelon of roadgoing performance cars, as well, Formula 1’s rich legacy and heritage is being celebrated across the automotive world this year, including during one of the most anticipated and prestigious times on the automotive calendar: Monterey Car Week.

Packed with exclusive events and stunning displays on California’s gorgeous Monterey Peninsula, Car Week is full of all kinds of automotive excellence, and the racing world is the focus of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The event brings a performance and track-focused edge to the Monterey Car Week event lineup, and this year, Formula 1 is using the Monterey Motorsports Reunion as a venue to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

Legendary F1 cars will be present at the event, including 25 authentic F1 cars from the 1966-1985 non-turbo era, which are set to race daily in the Mario Andretti Trophy race. In additoin, 30 rarely seen F1 cars from private collections and museums will be at the event, in order to showcase the historical journey that F1 has taken. With 75 years of history as one of the greatest names in racing, Formula 1 is set to wow guests of this year’s Monterey Motorsports Festival.

The two race teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Monday to be recognized as chartered organizations for the remainder of 2025.

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model in other sports. 23XI, owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, last September rejected NASCAR’s final proposal on extensions and instead filed an antitrust suit.

The case is winding its way through the court system but now with urgency: the teams were set to lose their charters Wednesday and in the latest filing, they allege NASCAR has indicated it will immediately begin the process of selling the six tags that guarantee entry into every race as well as monetary rewards and other benefits.

After the filing NASCAR was ordered to respond by 5 p.m. Wednesday — which means there would be no ruling on if the charters will be revoked likely until Thursday, at the earliest.

“Today we filed a motion in the district court for a renewed preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order to protect the teams’ ability to race chartered for the remainder of the 2025 Cup Series season and prevent irreparable business harm to 23XI and Front Row Motorsports until we can present our case at trial in December,” said Jeffery Kessler, attorney for the teams.

“New information surfaced through the discovery process that overwhelmingly supports our position that a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary. The teams’ love of stock car racing and belief in a better future for the sport for all parties – teams, drivers, employees, sponsors, and fans – continues to motivate their efforts to pursue this antitrust case.”

There were large portions of the filing redacted because the arguments are based on information learned through discovery, making it confidential, for now. But, the urgency is likely tied to NASCAR indicating it plans to immediately begin selling the charters if they are revoked.

Should the teams have their six combined charters revoked, the drivers would have to qualify on speed to make each week’s race and would receive a smaller percentage of the purse. They may also have to refund money paid out through the first 20 races of the year.

NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of filing “a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction” and noted it has made multiple requests to the teams “to present a proposal to resolve this litigation.”

“We have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row, as they have instead preferred to continue their damaging and distracting lawsuit,” NASCAR said in a statement. “We will defend NASCAR’s integrity from this baseless lawsuit forced upon the sport that threatens to divide the stakeholders committed to serving race fans everywhere.

“We remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.”

Also on Monday, Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club had a short virtual hearing in a North Carolina court over their fight for a charter.

Legacy, owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, contends it had an agreement with RWR to lease one of its two charters in 2026. RWR contends the agreement was for 2027 and it already has a contract with RFK Racing to lease that team a charter next season.

Legacy on Monday asked for and was granted the right to depose RWR over the recent revelation that T.J. Puchyr, one of the founders of Spire Motorsports, plans to purchase the race team. Legacy contends if Ware is selling the team, then one of the charters should be transferred to its organization.

Legacy also argued that Ware did not disclose he was entering into a sales agreement with a third party — Puchyr, who is now a consultant and brokered the initial lease deal between RWR and Legacy — in an April hearing. The judge in that case warned that RWR could be in contempt of court if it misrepresented its intentions in the first hearing.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

• #93 MMG Honda of Karl Wittmer and LP Montour claims victory on home soil
• MMG only 110 points back in the TCR class championship following back-to-back wins

Honda returned to victory lane for the second-consecutive time, as the #93 MMG Honda Civic Type R TCR of Karl Wittmer and LP Montour took the win at their home track in the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 120. Things took a dramatic turn in the sixth round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, but MMG executed cleanly amidst the chaos, taking the checkered flag first and bolstering their position in the championship fight.

After qualifying in second position the day prior, just a mere 0.040 seconds off the pole position time, LP Montour rolled off as the race went green, carrying forward the team’s strong momentum throughout his stint. He moved up into the lead by the fifth lap over the polesitter, but found himself overtaken by another competitor four laps later.

The team had to complete a pit stop earlier than originally anticipated, as they suffered an unexpected left front tire delamination. Montour managed to dive into pit lane to address the sudden issue, and thus put Karl Wittmer on a major fuel-saving strategy as he took over driving duties.

During Wittmer’s stint, a drive-through penalty for a pit lane speed violation was handed to the then-leading car in the TCR field, promoting MMG to first place, although Wittmer still had a big task ahead of him to save enough fuel to the end

With 40 minutes remaining in the two-hour event, an incident involving multiple vehicles in Turn 7 brought out a lengthy full course caution. The second and third-place runners were involved, taking them out of contention. The caution allowed Wittmer to save additional fuel. The green flag running resumed with 20 minutes to go, and Wittmer went on to cross the finish line with a 2.149 second buffer between him and the car behind, securing his fifth and Montour’s second career series wins.

Following their top form at both Watkins Glen International and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the Honda outfit currently sits third in the TCR championship standings, just 110 points out of the lead.

The #5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Honda Civic Type R TCR of William Tally and Tim Lewis recovered from a spin on lap 2, battling a subsequent rear-alignment issue for the remainder of the race, to cross the line in 10th.  

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 120 Honda Race Results

• Finished 1st – #93 MMG Honda Civic Type R TCR, Karl Wittmer, LP Montour
• Finished 10th – #5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Honda Civic Type R TCR, William Tally, Tim Lewis

Quotes
LP Montour (#93 MMG Honda Civic Type R TCR) Finished first: “Happy to have won the race with Karl. It’s a whole Canadian team here on Canadian soil. It means a lot for the whole team to be able to secure back-to-back wins; it’s very good for the points in the championship. Can’t be happier than that for my friends and family; Honda and MMG did everything right and it paid off.”

Karl Wittmer (#93 MMG Honda Civic Type R TCR) Finished first: “Honda gave us a great car. Everyone at MMG and HRC is working so hard to make this program happen for us and the results are showing it. Proud to be Canadian, proud to be part of HRC and MMG, and we will probably throw the biggest party in our hometowns to celebrate!”

Next
Honda will return for the seventh round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, the two-hour Road America 120, on Saturday, August 2nd at 2 PM CT / 3 PM ET.

Acura and HRC US social media content and video links can be found on:

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