CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A federal judge urged NASCAR and the two Cup Series teams suing the stock-car sanctioning body to settle their increasingly acrimonious legal fight that spilled over into tense arguments during a hearing Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District of North Carolina grilled both NASCAR and suing teams 23XI Racing (which is co-owned by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, retired NBA star Michael Jordan and Curtis Polk, the basketball great’s longtime business partner) and Front Row Motorsports (which is owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins) on what they hoped to accomplish if the lawsuit continues. A trial is scheduled for December if a settlement is not reached before then.

“It’s hard to picture a winner if this goes to the mat — or to the flag — in this case,” Bell said. “It scares me to death to think about what all this is costing.”

Front Row Motorsports is owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins and has three full-time Ford entries — Noah Gragson in the No. 4, Todd Gilliland in the No. 34 and Zane Smith in the No. 38 — while 23XI Racing, which is co-owned by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, retired NBA star Michael Jordan and Curtis Polk, the basketball great’s longtime business partner, has three full-time Toyota entries: Bubba Wallace in the No. 23, Riley Herbst in the No. 35 and Tyler Reddick in the No. 45.

These were the only two organizations in the top-tier Cup Series that refused to sign a nonnegotiable offer last September on a new agreement for charters, which are NASCAR’s equivalent of a franchise in other professional sports leagues. Each charter guarantees entry to the lucrative Cup Series races and a stable revenue stream. Thirteen other organizations — most of them with multiple cars — signed the agreements last fall, although some felt they had little choice.

Tuesday’s hearing, which lasted nearly two hours, was about the teams’ request to toss out NASCAR’s countersuit, which accuses Polk of “willfully” violating antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in negotiations. NASCAR said it learned in discovery that Polk in messages among the 15 teams tried to form a “cartel”-type operation that would include threats of boycotting races and a refusal to individually negotiate.

One of NASCAR’s attorneys even cited a Benjamin Franklin quote Polk allegedly sent to the 15 organizations that read: “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney representing the teams, was angered by the revelation in open court, contending it is privileged information only revealed in discovery. Kessler also argued none of NASCAR’s claims in the countersuit prove anything illegal was done by Polk or the Race Team Alliance during the charter negotiation process.

“NASCAR knows it has no defense to the monopolization case, so they have come up with this claim about joint negotiations, which they agreed to, never objected to, and now suddenly it’s an antitrust violation,” Kessler said outside court. “It makes absolutely no sense. It’s not going to help them deflect from the monopolizing they have done in this market and the harm they have inflicted.”

He added that “the attacks” on Polk were “false, unfounded and frankly beneath the dignity of my adversary to even make those type of comments, which he should know better about.”

NASCAR attorneys said Polk improperly tried to pressure all 15 teams that comprise the RTA to stand together collectively in negotiations and encouraged boycotting qualifying races for the 2024 Daytona 500. NASCAR, they said, took the threat seriously because the teams had previously boycotted a scheduled meeting with series executives.

“NASCAR knew the next step was they could boycott a race, which was a threat they had to take seriously,” attorney Lawrence Buterman said on behalf of NASCAR.

In other comments made outside the courtroom, Kessler said the two teams are open to settlement talks, but he noted NASCAR has said it will not renegotiate the charters.

NASCAR’s attorneys declined to comment after the hearing.

Bell did not indicate when he’d rule, other than saying he would decide quickly.

Some of the arguments Tuesday centered on Jonathan Marshall, the executive director of the RTA. NASCAR has demanded text messages and emails from Marshall and said it has received roughly 100 texts and more than 55,000 pages of emails.

NASCAR wants all texts between Marshall and 55 people from 2020 through 2024 that contain specific search terms. Attorneys for the RTA said that covers more than 3,000 texts, some of which are privileged, and some that have been “deleted to save storage or he didn’t need them anymore.”

That issue is set to be heard during a hearing next Tuesday before Bell.

Meanwhile, Kessler said he would file an appeal by the end of the week after a three-judge federal appellate panel last week vacated a preliminary injunction granted last December by Bell that required NASCAR to recognize 23XI and Front Row as chartered teams while the court fight is being resolved.

Kessler wants the issue heard by the full appellate court. The injunction has no bearing on the merits of the case. The earliest NASCAR can treat the teams as unchartered is one week after the deadline to appeal, provided there is no pending appeal or whenever the appeals process has been exhausted.

There are 36 chartered cars for the 40-car field each week. If 23XI and Front Row are not recognized as chartered, their six cars would have to compete as “open” teams, which means they’d have to qualify on speed each week to make the race and they would receive a fraction of the money guaranteed for chartered teams.

Spire driver penalized by team

Spire Motorsports has issued a $50,000 fine to Carson Hocevar, the driver of its No. 77 Chevrolet entry for the Cup Series, for derogatory comments he made about Mexico City on a livestream last weekend as NASCAR made a stop there.

Hocevar walked back the comments Sunday night after the Cup Series race with an apology, and the 22-year-old Michigan native admitted it was the first time he’d ever been outside the United States and believed all the negative things he’d read and heard about Mexico City.

“I am embarrassed by my comments,” he posted in a lengthy apology.

Spire also ordered Hocevar to attend training for cultural sensitivity and bias awareness.

He said the $50,000 fine will be donated in equal portions to three organizations that serve Mexican communities: Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross); Un Kilo de Ayuda, a nonprofit combating childhood malnutrition and supporting early childhood development in rural communities; and Fondo Unido México (United Way Mexico), which funds local nongovernmental organizations that improve education, health, and housing in 22 Mexican states.

“These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel,” the team said in a released statement. “Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport.

“Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.”

Hocevar was the 2024 Cup Series rookie of the year but is still seeking his first win on the top-tier circuit. He has a pair of runner-up finishes this season — at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February and at Nashville Superspeedway earlier this month — but has been outside the top 20 in 10 of 16 points races.

Spire said it informed NASCAR of Hocevar’s penalties and that it satisfied the sanctioning body’s requirements.

“Together we remain committed to showcasing NASCAR’s global growth, celebrating the passionate Mexican fanbase we experienced firsthand last weekend, and ensuring every member of our organization treats hosts, competitors, and communities with dignity,” Spire’s statement read. “We look forward to turning the page by racing hard, representing our partners, and living our values on and off the track.”

June 18, 2025

Lovell Returns to the Track in Ohio

June 18, 2025 – Young, focused, and on the rise, 18-year-old Mia Lovell is set to return to action this weekend at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as part of the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli. Racing with the championship winning Nitro Motorsports team, Lovell enters the event with confidence after a string of impressive performances across both the National and Western Championship TA2 events in 2025.

“This is one of the races I’ve been looking forward to,” expressed Lovell. “Mid-Ohio is super technical, with a great flow, and puts a spotlight on precision. It demands a lot from you as a driver, which I love. I’ve been working hard to prepare for this race, and I’m really pumped to get back behind the wheel.”

Lovell’s 2025 campaign has been a breakout season. In the Trans Am Western Championship, she’s earned multiple podium finishes and has consistently run up front, proving she can hold her own in a competitive field. In the National Championship, she’s gained valuable experience by running with some top racers in the country and achieving multiple top-ten finishes.

“It’s been an amazing experience this season,” she added. “There’s so much to absorb—between the car, the competition, and the tracks—I’ve been lucky to have Nitro Motorsports in my corner. They’ve been awesome in providing me the support necessary to succeed at this level.”

This weekend’s event at Mid-Ohio is a chance to add another strong result to her résumé. 

For more information on Mia Lovell, please contact RTD Media and Management’s Mike Maurini at Info@RTD-Media.com or by phone at 317.270.8723. 

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) – A rising star in NASCAR was fined $50,000 this week, days after he made comments about the sport’s trip to Mexico City.

While on a Twitch livestream, Carson Hocevar — driver of the No. 77 car — reportedly called Mexico City a “s***hole.”

Hocevar allegedly made the remark early in the weekend, before Sunday’s Cup Series race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, according to motorsports reporter Jeff Gluck.

Spire Motorsports, who Hocevar drives for, announced Tuesday evening that it was fining the 22-year-old driver. Spire also said it was requiring Hocevar to take part in cultural sensitivity and bias awareness training.

The team said the $50,000 fine would be redistributed equally to three organizations that serve communities in Mexico.

“These actions were not consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT,” the team wrote in a statement. “It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport. Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during a livestream fell short of that standard.”

Spire ended its statement by writing that it “[looks] forward to turning the page by racing hard, representing our partners, and living our values on and off the track.”

Nearly 48 hours before Spire publicly announced the fine and mandatory training, Hocevar took to social media Sunday night and apologized for the Mexico City comment.

“When I answered that question on a stream, I was skeptical about the trip so far and believed everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here,” he wrote on social media.

“Now that I’ve actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen, my opinion has changed,” Hocevar’s post continued. “I am embarrassed by my comments, by the race I ran, and I may have to move here to hide out from Ricky [Stenhouse Jr.] anyway. Count this as another lesson for me in a season I’ve learned so much.”

Hocevar-Stenhouse drama

Hocevar’s reference to fellow driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. came after the two drivers were involved in a crash for the second time in the past three races. Both times, Hocevar sent Stenhouse’s No. 47 car spinning.

After the spin in Mexico City, Stenhouse threatened to fight Hocevar once they were back in the United States.

The young Hocevar has begun to develop a reputation for driving aggressively, but he has done so while putting himself in contention for good finishes.

He was not in contention, though, and in fact was not even on the lead lap when he spun Stenhouse in Mexico City.

The first incident between the two drivers happened two weeks earlier at Nashville Superspeedway. During that dust-up, Hocevar wrecked Stenhouse less than halfway through the 400-mile race while they were battling for position. Hocevar went on to finish second that night, while Stenhouse finished last.

Both Hocevar and Stenhouse have been in contention to make NASCAR’s playoffs but are currently on the outside looking in. That has seemingly increased Stenhouse’s frustration with Hocevar.

The two reportedly resolved their conflict after the Nashville incident, but it remains to be seen how they will handle things going forward.

Hocevar, Stenhouse and the rest of the Cup regulars will be back on track for this weekend’s race at Pocono.

Also Read: Son of NASCAR champion wins race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.

23XI Racing, the NASCAR Cup Series team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, are set to seek a court rehearing in the hopes that judges will reinstate a key injunction in their antitrust lawsuit against the stock car racing series.

23XI, along with Front Row Motorsports (FRM), sued NASCAR last October alleging anticompetitive and monopolistic practices after refusing to sign up to the series’ new charter agreement.

Crucially, however, the teams were granted an injunction in December that would allow them to compete as de facto chartered teams in 2025 due to a clause in the charter agreement that prohibits teams from suing NASCAR.

NASCAR appealed that decision, and earlier this month, a three-judge appeals panel sided with the series, overturning the injunction, leaving 23XI and FRM facing the loss of their charters.

Speaking shortly after that ruling, 23XI co-owner Hamlin confirmed that the difference between running as open teams compared to chartered entries was in the ‘tens of millions’.

READ MORE: NASCAR star Chase Elliott set for series switch as official announcement made

23XI attorney confirms teams next steps

23XI and FRM have until Thursday to ask for a rehearing in their case, and speaking after a separate issue in their lawsuit was in court on Tuesday, the teams’ attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, confirmed they would meet that deadline.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think the three judges, if you read their opinion, actually dealt with the hard issues, and that’s what the circuit will need to do,” Kessler told the media, via NBC Sports.

“For example, under their decision, Google could go to all of their customers and say if you want to be on my app store, you have to waive your antitrust rights so we never get a Google case. Apple could do the same.

“These types of forced releases by someone who is adjudicated to be a monopoly in some respect … we think they’re anti-competitive. We think if the whole Fourth Circuit looks at that, it’s hard to get a rehearing, may not get a rehearing, but we think it should have a rehearing.”

If the teams’ request for a rehearing is denied, they could lose their chartered status as soon as seven days after that decision, as per FOX.

The wider antitrust lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in court on December 1st, 2025.

READ MORE: Three-time NASCAR Cup Series driver announces RETIREMENT plans

Related

Spire Motorsports fined Carson Hocevar $50,000 on Tuesday for derogatory comments he made about Mexico City on a live stream as NASCAR raced there last weekend.

Hocevar walked back the comments Sunday night with an apology and the 22-year-old admitted it was the first time he’d ever been outside the United States and believed all the negative things he’d read and heard about Mexico City.

“I am embarrassed by my comments,” he posted in a lengthy apology.

Spire also ordered Hocevar to attend cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training.

Spire said the $50,000 fine will be donated in equal portions to three organizations that serve Mexican communities:

• Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross).
• Un Kilo de Ayuda, a nonprofit combating childhood malnutrition and supporting early-childhood development in rural communities.
• Fondo Unido México (United Way Mexico), which funds local NGOs that improve education, health, and housing in 22 Mexican states.

“These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel,” the team said in a statement. “Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport.

“Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.”

Spire said it informed NASCAR of Hocevar’s penalties and that it satisfied the sanctioning body’s requirements.

“Together we remain committed to showcasing NASCAR’s global growth, celebrating the passionate Mexican fanbase we experienced firsthand last weekend, and ensuring every member of our organization treats hosts, competitors, and communities with dignity,” Spire said.

“We look forward to turning the page by racing hard, representing our partners, and living our values on and off the track.”