NASCAR settles antitrust lawsuit with 23XI, Front Row teams

The trial that was destined to upend the sport of stock car racing and reimagine NASCAR’s model of business concluded with a sudden settlement on Thursday morning — and left one of the world’s most iconic sports figures smiling.

On the steps of the U.S. District Court of the Western District of North Carolina in uptown Charlotte, the site of numerous acrimonious proceedings the past two weeks and over the lawsuit’s 14 months, 23XI Racing’s principal owner Michael Jordan said a lot with just a few words.

“I’ve said this from Day One, the only way this sport’s going to grow is if we find some synergy between the two entities,” said Jordan, who was encircled by media, high-profile NASCAR executives, team owners and members of all legal teams.

To his immediate right was his longtime business partner, Curtis Polk, and to his immediate left was CEO and chairman of NASCAR Jim France. The three of them were at the center of the lawsuit and then ensuing trial that threatened to tear the largest American motorsport apart. The Cup teams sued NASCAR in October 2024 on the grounds that the company was an unlawful monopoly — one that used anti-competitive practices to strengthen itself and weaken the teams.

“We’ve gotten to that point,” Jordan continued, referencing the “synergy” he and his stakeholders desired with NASCAR. “Unfortunately it took 16 months to get here. But level heads got us to this point to where we can actually work together and grow this sport. I’m very proud of that. And I think Jim feels the same.”

Jordan announced this triumph nearly 20 minutes after District Judge Kenneth Bell summoned the attention of the Potter Courtroom and told the nine-member jury that the antitrust case pitting two Cup Series teams against the sanctioning body had been settled.

Bell, at the conclusion of reading the settlement papers, said that he was pleased with the result — adding that such a resolution is “great for the entity of NASCAR” and that most importantly, “it will be great for the fans.”

Added Bell: “Sometimes the parties just have to see how the evidence unfolds to come to the wisdom of a settlement.”

Full details of the settlement weren’t disclosed by attorneys in or out of court Thursday. This said, the plaintiffs’ lead attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, told reporters that as a result of the deal, each Cup Series team with charters will have their charters be “permanent,” or evergreen — a massive win for the teams.

“We are delighted to tell the world of NASCAR and its fans that this case has been settled,” Kessler said. “We believe it’s a settlement that’s going to grow this sport, that’s going to be great for the teams and NASCAR, but most importantly, for the fans.

“This case was filed 15 months ago. It was never just about 23XI. It was never just about Front Row. It was about trying to do something that was great for everyone and as part of this deal, we are going to have evergreen charters. They are going to be available for everyone.”

Legal representation on both sides — as well as Judge Bell — wanted the case to be resolved before trial began Dec. 1. But as the trial approached, both plaintiff and defendant sources indicated that a mid-trial settlement was unlikely. That changed Thursday, when the court broke for a nearly two-hour long recess as the two sides brokered a deal. Once court concluded Thursday, several key stakeholders in the case met and shook hands. That included Jordan, Kessler, members of the France family, France Enterprise’s attorney John E. Stephenson, lead NASCAR attorneys Chris Yates and Lawrence Buterman, and others.

As for the sides’ sudden change of heart?

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

Added France: “We can get back to focusing on what we really love, which is racing. We’ve spent a lot of time not really focused on that so much. Not as much as we need to be. I feel like we’ve made a very good decision here, together, and we have a big opportunity to continue growing the sport.”

This story was originally published December 11, 2025 at 10:59 AM.