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Fourth Circuit Grills Michael Jordan Team on NASCAR Injunction

The Fourth Circuit grilled lawyers Friday for two racing teams, including one owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, over an injunction that allows them to compete as chartered teams in the 2025 NASCAR season. A three-judge panel at the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit said during oral argument that a […]

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The Fourth Circuit grilled lawyers Friday for two racing teams, including one owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, over an injunction that allows them to compete as chartered teams in the 2025 NASCAR season.

A three-judge panel at the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit said during oral argument that a chartered team agreement excluding certain standard releases, which a district court ordered in December 2024, seemed to contradict appellate court precedent.

The releases would bar antitrust claims against NASCAR.

The pair of teams, Front Row Motorsports and Jordan’s 23XI, asked to be included in NASCAR while also requesting relief from the releases, which may create a problem under a Fourth Circuit decision, Omega World Travel Inc v. Trans World Airlines, Judge Paul V. Niemeyer said.

The 1997 Omega decision reversed a preliminary injunction, saying the state law and federal antitrust claims didn’t support it. The racing teams seem to be facing a similar problem against NASCAR, the panel said.

“You can’t have your cake and eat it too,” Niemeyer said. “You want in the league, but you don’t want to sign the releases.”

No court has ruled on whether standard release provisions violate antitrust laws, in particular Section 2 of the Sherman Act, which is at the heart of this case. Judge G. Steven Agee noted that the teams had “a big hill to climb” since there wasn’t any case to support their arguments.

NASCAR and its attorneys want the injunction overturned.

“Every day that this injunction stays in place, NASCAR and the other teams” suffer injury because the other teams would otherwise receive more money and NASCAR doesn’t want to be in a forced agreement that it doesn’t benefit from, attorney Christopher Yates of Latham & Watkins LLP said.

The teams said if they had signed the agreement, they wouldn’t be able to bring their antitrust claims against NASCAR monopolizing the stock car racing market.

‘Too Little’

Jeffrey Kessler of Winston & Strawn LLP, an attorney for the racing teams, used an apple analogy to explain the situation, saying if apple farmers were prevented from selling at certain markets and prices were raised, they would be harmed similarly to the teams in this case.

“The injury is that you’re getting too little,” Kessler said. If the injunction is reversed, teams that Front Row acquired from Stewart–Haas Racing may be affected as well, he noted.

Front Row may have to unwind two purchases from Stewart-Haas charters, which would create further harm to the racing team and to Stewart-Haas because it no longer has drivers, pit crews, or any other necessary staff to manage a team, Kessler said.

NASCAR didn’t want to approve the sale but was enjoined from refusing to do so, according to court records.

Front Row and 23XI may also lose drivers and sponsors, Kessler added.

Timing

The judges questioned whether a December trial would be complete by the start of the 2026 season. Yates noted that it should be.

Agee noted that the parties needed to “seriously consider” mediation and work to come to an agreement that benefited both sides.

Yates said mediation is being discussed in the US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina but that NASCAR wouldn’t change its contract.

“If you don’t like the contract, you don’t sign it,” Yates said.

Teams who don’t sign on to become chartered can still compete in races if open slots are available. Some races fill up, but others don’t, Yates said. Front Row Motorsports and 23XI would likely qualify to take an open slot, he noted.

Judge Stephanie D. Thacker also sat on the panel.

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP also represents NASCAR.

The case is 2311 Racing LLC v. NASCAR, 4th Cir., No. 24-2245, oral argument 5/9/25.



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NASCAR’s Stewart Friesen injured in fiery Canada crash

Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire. WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada.  Video of […]

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Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire.

WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada. 

Video of the incident, which was being streamed live, shows the fiery crash out during the King Of The North race at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. 

Friesen’s car appears to drift wide around a turn, striking the sidewall around the track. His vehicle flew into the air, tumbling multiple times before coming back down in a fireball. As it continued rolling down the track, less than a second later it was struck by at least one other vehicle coming down the track behind him, igniting more flame and sending debris out over the dirt. 

According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Friesen’s wife Jess, he is in the hospital with severe injuries. 

“Stewart has suffered an unstable/open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jess Friesen wrote. “CT scans have come back clear of any head, neck or spine injuries. Unfortunately, he is still in a tremendous amount of pain.” 

She said her husband also suffered a fractured right leg in the crash. 

Both the pelvis and leg breaks will require surgery, but as of Tuesday he is “in better spirits and resting” after he was transferred to a larger hospital for the procedures, Jess Friesen said. 

Three days before the crash, Friesen competed in his 200th Craftsman Truck Series race, according to NASCAR.com. 

What kind of vehicle was Friesen driving?

Dirt car racers are highly modified vehicles designed specifically for the rough terrain of a dirt track. They come in various classes and characteristics, but the most common type of dirt car is called a modified. 

The cars are blocky, with metal paneling wrapped around cage bars, and sit low to the ground on open wheels, with a body similar to a dune buggy. 

During races, modifieds hit speeds of around 75 mph going around corners and 90 mph on straightaways. 



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NASCAR’s Stewart Friesen injured in fiery Canada crash

Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire. WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada.  Video of […]

Published

on


Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire.

WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada. 

Video of the incident, which was being streamed live, shows the fiery crash out during the King Of The North race at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. 

Friesen’s car appears to drift wide around a turn, striking the sidewall around the track. His vehicle flew into the air, tumbling multiple times before coming back down in a fireball. As it continued rolling down the track, less than a second later it was struck by at least one other vehicle coming down the track behind him, igniting more flame and sending debris out over the dirt. 

According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Friesen’s wife Jess, he is in the hospital with severe injuries. 

“Stewart has suffered an unstable/open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jess Friesen wrote. “CT scans have come back clear of any head, neck or spine injuries. Unfortunately, he is still in a tremendous amount of pain.” 

She said her husband also suffered a fractured right leg in the crash. 

Both the pelvis and leg breaks will require surgery, but as of Tuesday he is “in better spirits and resting” after he was transferred to a larger hospital for the procedures, Jess Friesen said. 

Three days before the crash, Friesen competed in his 200th Craftsman Truck Series race, according to NASCAR.com. 

What kind of vehicle was Friesen driving?

Dirt car racers are highly modified vehicles designed specifically for the rough terrain of a dirt track. They come in various classes and characteristics, but the most common type of dirt car is called a modified. 

The cars are blocky, with metal paneling wrapped around cage bars, and sit low to the ground on open wheels, with a body similar to a dune buggy. 

During races, modifieds hit speeds of around 75 mph going around corners and 90 mph on straightaways. 



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NASCAR penalty report released after Indianapolis weekend

NASCAR has released its penalty report after a wild weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On Tuesday, NASCAR announced that Austin Hill has been suspended for one Xfinity Series race due to his incident with Aric Almirola. One of the biggest things that happened at Indianapolis was Hill right-rear hooking Almirola during the Xfinity Series race. […]

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NASCAR has released its penalty report after a wild weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On Tuesday, NASCAR announced that Austin Hill has been suspended for one Xfinity Series race due to his incident with Aric Almirola.

One of the biggest things that happened at Indianapolis was Hill right-rear hooking Almirola during the Xfinity Series race. After the incident, NASCAR penalized Hill for five laps, and he finished 34th. It was speculated that Hill could be suspended for one or two races because fans and experts believe the hit was intentional.

After the race, Almirola reacted to being hit by Hill. “It was definitely intentional,” Almirola told The CW, per NASCAR.com. “He (Hill) blocked me three times. I finally got him loose in (Turn) 3. He had damage on the nose, so he was really slow in the corners. It was time to go. I mean, we’re coming to nine to go, and the leaders are starting to put a gap on us, so it’s time to go. I got him loose, and he just turned left and hooked me in the right rear.”

Additionally, two members of Erik Jones’ crew have been suspended two races for the No. 43 losing a wheel. Kellen Mills and John Rosselli will serve the penalty.

More from the NASCAR Indianapolis weekend

Hill wasn’t available for a comment after the race, but he told his team that the hit wasn’t intentional. “I couldn’t hang onto it. I did not try to right-rear him,” Hill told his team on the radio. “He had me out of control and I drove back to the left to keep it off the wall. I’m not sure what the hell he thought just running me over in 3 though!”

While the Hill-Almirola incident was not good for NASCAR, the highlight of the weekend was Bubba Wallace winning the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. It was his first victory in 100 Cup Series races, and he has now clinched a spot in the playoffs.

“Unbelievable,” Wallace said on the TNT broadcast. “To win here at the Brickyard, knowing how big this race is, knowing all the noise that’s going on in the background, to set that all aside is a testament to these people here on this 23 team. It’s been getting old right around the cut line.”



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NASCAR’s Stewart Friesen injured in fiery Canada crash

Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire. WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada.  Video of […]

Published

on


Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire.

WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada. 

Video of the incident, which was being streamed live, shows the fiery crash out during the King Of The North race at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. 

Friesen’s car appears to drift wide around a turn, striking the sidewall around the track. His vehicle flew into the air, tumbling multiple times before coming back down in a fireball. As it continued rolling down the track, less than a second later it was struck by at least one other vehicle coming down the track behind him, igniting more flame and sending debris out over the dirt. 

According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Friesen’s wife Jess, he is in the hospital with severe injuries. 

“Stewart has suffered an unstable/open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jess Friesen wrote. “CT scans have come back clear of any head, neck or spine injuries. Unfortunately, he is still in a tremendous amount of pain.” 

She said her husband also suffered a fractured right leg in the crash. 

Both the pelvis and leg breaks will require surgery, but as of Tuesday he is “in better spirits and resting” after he was transferred to a larger hospital for the procedures, Jess Friesen said. 

Three days before the crash, Friesen competed in his 200th Craftsman Truck Series race, according to NASCAR.com. 

What kind of vehicle was Friesen driving?

Dirt car racers are highly modified vehicles designed specifically for the rough terrain of a dirt track. They come in various classes and characteristics, but the most common type of dirt car is called a modified. 

The cars are blocky, with metal paneling wrapped around cage bars, and sit low to the ground on open wheels, with a body similar to a dune buggy. 

During races, modifieds hit speeds of around 75 mph going around corners and 90 mph on straightaways. 



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Motorsports

NASCAR’s Stewart Friesen injured in fiery Canada crash

Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire. WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada.  Video of […]

Published

on


Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire.

WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada. 

Video of the incident, which was being streamed live, shows the fiery crash out during the King Of The North race at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. 

Friesen’s car appears to drift wide around a turn, striking the sidewall around the track. His vehicle flew into the air, tumbling multiple times before coming back down in a fireball. As it continued rolling down the track, less than a second later it was struck by at least one other vehicle coming down the track behind him, igniting more flame and sending debris out over the dirt. 

According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Friesen’s wife Jess, he is in the hospital with severe injuries. 

“Stewart has suffered an unstable/open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jess Friesen wrote. “CT scans have come back clear of any head, neck or spine injuries. Unfortunately, he is still in a tremendous amount of pain.” 

She said her husband also suffered a fractured right leg in the crash. 

Both the pelvis and leg breaks will require surgery, but as of Tuesday he is “in better spirits and resting” after he was transferred to a larger hospital for the procedures, Jess Friesen said. 

Three days before the crash, Friesen competed in his 200th Craftsman Truck Series race, according to NASCAR.com. 

What kind of vehicle was Friesen driving?

Dirt car racers are highly modified vehicles designed specifically for the rough terrain of a dirt track. They come in various classes and characteristics, but the most common type of dirt car is called a modified. 

The cars are blocky, with metal paneling wrapped around cage bars, and sit low to the ground on open wheels, with a body similar to a dune buggy. 

During races, modifieds hit speeds of around 75 mph going around corners and 90 mph on straightaways. 



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Viewership numbers from Saturday’s NASCAR race on WISH-TV – Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Saturday will be a day that NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch will never forget. The NASCAR Xfinity Series driver for JR Motorsports won the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “This is awesome,” Zilisch said in an IMS news release. “Those bricks look really kissable, and I’m ready to kiss them. Winning at […]

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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Saturday will be a day that NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch will never forget.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series driver for JR Motorsports won the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“This is awesome,” Zilisch said in an IMS news release. “Those bricks look really kissable, and I’m ready to kiss them. Winning at Indy is awesome and getting 100 wins for JRM is pretty cool, too, so I consider this a pretty awesome day.”

It was his third straight win in the Xfinity Series, following victories at Dover and Sonoma.

The race aired on live on WISH-TV and the numbers are in. According to a post on X, formally known as Twitter, by The CW Sports:

  • Viewership was up +23% compared to last year’s 21st race from Michigan (which aired on USA)
  • Audience grew +6% over last week’s race from Dover
  • Viewership peaked at 1,333,000 total viewers from 7:15 – 7:30 p.m. EDT

Overall, the event had 1,108,000 viewers according to the post.

Zilisch actually spoke with News 8’s Cody Adams earlier this year on Life.Style.Live! ahead of the Xfinity Series’ race in Mexico. Click here to watch their full conversation.

The next NASCAR Xfinity Series race will be at Iowa Speedway on Saturday. The HyVee Perks 250 will begin at 4:30 p.m. EDT and can be seen live on WISH-TV. It will be one of five races remaining for the series before the Xfinity Series playoffs begin.

The following are the remaining races remaining ahead of the playoffs:

  • Saturday, Aug. 2 – Iowa Speedway
  • Saturday, Aug. 9 – Watkins Glen International
  • Friday, Aug. 22 – Daytona International Speedway
  • Saturday, Aug. 30 – Portland International Raceway
  • Saturday, Sept. 6 – World Wide Technology Raceway

The playoffs begin on Friday, Sept. 12 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Justin Allgaier leads the Xfinity Series standings by 21 points over Zilisch, although Zilisch has won five times this season compared to Allgaier’s three victories.

To re-watch Saturday’s Pennzoil 250 at IMS, click here.



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