23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were the only two of 15 NASCAR Cup Series teams that did not sign the new charter agreement late in the 2024 season, and they proceeded to file an antitrust lawsuit against the sanctioning body.

While the sides finally settled out of court, ending a 15-month fiasco that most fans were tired of hearing about, the consensus has been that the teams got what they want, particularly thanks to the influence of Michael Jordan, whereas NASCAR and its executives were the ones left with their tails between their legs.

All things considered, this was always the most likely outcome; it was just a matter of how much time it took, and whether or not the decision was made in or out of court. Fortunately, all parties finally came to their senses, after months and months of seemingly going in circles.

23XI Racing, Front Row get their charter status back

One of the big wins for the teams is that charters have become permanent, and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, which a judge ruled in July would no longer be allowed to use charters as the lawsuit unfolded, have received an undisclosed amount of money after losing a significant amount of revenue during their 16 races operating as non-chartered (open) teams to wrap up the 2025 season.

The future of charters was in question as the sport proceeded with just 30 chartered teams, even as they made an abrupt rule change (to save themselves from embarrassment) to ensure that 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports remained locked into every race, despite not receiving the financial benefit of the chartered teams.

But now NASCAR is once again indeed set to have 36 chartered teams in 2026, with the six 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports teams that spent the final three and a half months of the 2025 season as open teams set to regain their charter status.

Those teams include the No. 23, No. 35, and No. 45 23XI Racing teams of Bubba Wallace, Riley Herbst, and Tyler Reddick, respectively, and the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 Front Row Motorsports teams of Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, and Zane Smith, respectively.

No driver changes are expected at either of these two teams. There had specifically been rumors about Reddick having a contract which required him to compete in a chartered car, but that is obviously no longer an issue.

These six cars have not been chartered cars since the mid-July race at Sonoma Raceway, which was the 20th of 36 points races on the 2025 schedule.

Toyota’s 23XI Racing expanded from two to three cars before the 2025 season, and Ford’s Front Row Motorsports did the same. Both acquired a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing, which shut down after the 2024 campaign.

One other charter went to Trackhouse Racing, which also expanded from two to three cars, and another was retained by Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas for his new Haas Factory Team.

Pirelli Motorsport has a vacancy for a Trackside Engineer.

You will be analysing and interpreting race data for Pirelli and allocated motorsport teams and producing clear, accurate and factual reports within required timeframes.

Candidates must have a minimum of three years’ experience within a motorsport environment.

Mission 44 is looking for a Senior Impact Manager, Motorsport Engagement.

The purpose of this role is to develop and maintain strategic relationships with motorsport employers to support young people from underrepresented backgrounds into early career opportunities.

You will have experience working in the motorsports sector and/or F1, with a strong network of connections.

Applications close on the 9 January 2026.

Join Chicane, a specialist Aston Martin car restoration, engineering and service company, as a Managing Director.

Aspects of this role will focus on automotive expertise in high-end marques, leadership and team management, strategic and operational management, business development and client relations, financial oversight and brand and reputation management.

Successful candidates will have at least 10 years’ experience of working in the high-end classic automotive sector.

The FIA has an opening for a Head of Circuit Racing and Historics based at their Geneva offices.

This position will see you driving the development of global racing categories, such as GT, Touring Car, Truck Racing and Historic Motorsport, shape championship architectures and ensure the highest level of governance in sporting regulations.

You will have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in the motorsport industry, having attained a position such as Sporting Manager, Team Principal or Sporting Director.

Applications close 4 January 2026.

The McLaren F1 Team is recruiting a Junior Project Manager.

You will be assisting the design team with scoping projects and allocating resources, helping to develop design plans, mapping interdependencies across multiple teams and helping to create and maintain dashboards and planning tools.

The ideal candidate will have a degree in Engineering or a related discipline.

We want to hear from you!

– The Autosport.com Team

With charter values surging in the wake of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ antitrust settlement with NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would almost certainly need outside investment to move JR Motorsports into full-time Cup Series competition. NASCAR came to the negotiating table on Day 9 of the antitrust trial this month, bringing an end to nearly 14 months of legal conflict between the two Cup teams and the sanctioning body.

23XI and FRM launched an antitrust lawsuit in October 2024, accusing NASCAR of engaging in monopolistic practices after refusing to sign up to the recent charter agreement. The legal battle saw both sides endure course-altering changes, including a December 2024 preliminary injunction allowing the two teams to maintain their chartered status for 2025, which was overturned on appeal in June 2025.

23XI and FRM raced the remainder of 2025 as “open” teams, losing the benefits afforded to chartered outfits, which yielded significant financial implications. NASCAR had barely begun its trial defense when a settlement was reached on Day 9, and some of the agreed-upon concessions included a substantial monetary payment to the teams, likely covering the losses incurred after racing from June to November as “open” teams.

The two teams also secured “evergreen charters,” changing the landscape of Cup Series racing forever. Permanency was one of 23XI and FRM’s key pressure points, and the impact of NASCAR’s concession has seen charter values skyrocket.

The buy-in for a NASCAR charter before this month’s settlement stood at north of $20 million. Now, it is speculated that charters will be valued close to, or exceeding, nine figures. Earnhardt Jr., who runs the Xfinity outfit JR Motorsports alongside his sister, Kelley, has long stated that they would like to take the team to NASCAR’s premier series.

However, they were put off by the thought of parting with $30M to race in the Cup Series. When the charter system was first created, JR Motorsports did not take up a $1M opportunity to buy a charter from Michael Waltrip Racing either. Following the settlement, Earnhardt Jr. says that the Cup Series buy-in has now more than quadrupled.

“If the charter remains nothing more than a guaranteed entry into a single event, I think then values remain where they are today. What the teams have recognized are if those charters were to become permanent and therefore basically a franchise, the values are well north of $150 million,” Earnhardt said on the Dale Jr. Download podcast.

“So, you’re sitting there with a charter that’s worth let’s say $25 million, and by the stroke of Jim France’s pen, it will now be $150 million. If you’re a charter owner, of cours,e you’re hoping for that to happen. I believe, secretly, even the people that signed the Charter Agreement that someway, somehow, in the end, that these do become permanent. That is the ultimate decision that I think comes out of this whole trial.

“They’ll be some other little nuances of will 23XI and Bob Jenkins be rewarded some damages, will this lever get pulled, will this little thing get changed, will somebody lose a job, will this person get replaced? All those things may happen, could happen but ultimately, I think what we are deciding is do the charters become franchises, do they become permanent and realized in new value north of $150 million?”

JR Motorsports is one of Xfinity’s leading teams. The nine-figure cost would force the Earnhardts to seek highly lucrative partnerships to take JR Motorsports to full-time competition in the Cup Series.

Earnhardt has previously admitted that finding an attractive partnership hasn’t been successful. “Kelley (Earnhardt-Miller, sister) and I have talked about getting into it, and we’ve seen some opportunities to do that, but it didn’t work out,” Earnhardt said last year. “We’re still at the table, talking to different teams about maybe partnering or investing. We’re always open to hearing what someone thinks about our idea of a partnership, but none of them have been like, ‘That’s it, that’s a perfect match, man.’ That is what we’re looking for.”

If there is one thing that fuels the NASCAR rumor mill as much as a hot run at Daytona, it is a solid sponsorship deal. Today, the Mooresville-based powerhouse JR Motorsports dropped a major announcement that is sure to have fans craving roast beef sandwiches at the track.

The team has officially welcomed Arby’s into the fold for a multi-year partnership that spans across the race team, the media empire of Dirty Mo Media, and a personal agreement with the boss himself, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

This isn’t just a simple logo placement on a quarter panel. This comprehensive integration brings one of the most recognizable quick-service restaurant brands into the heart of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

For a team with the championship pedigree of JR Motorsports, landing a partner with the global footprint of Arby’s, boasting over 3,500 locations, signals that the organization is as strong as ever heading into the 2026 season.

A Strategic Alignment for JR Motorsports

The deal is structured to maximize visibility across the JR Motorsports stable of drivers. Arby’s is set to serve as the primary sponsor for eight races in the 2026 season. The famous “Hat” logo will adorn the cars of three distinct talents within the JRM camp: up-and-coming Carson Kvapil, talented Sammy Smith, and veteran title contender Justin Allgaier.

For Allgaier, the partnership goes deeper than just a few races. Arby’s will ride along as a season-long associate sponsor on his No. 7 Chevrolet. Allgaier has been the rock of the JR Motorsports program for years, consistently fighting for wins and championships.

Having a major brand commit to his efforts for the entire year provides the kind of stability that allows a driver to focus solely on the task at hand: winning. Carson Kvapil, who pilots the No. 1 Chevrolet, will have the honor of debuting the partnership.

The Arby’s colors will hit the track for the first time at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 21. Kvapil will carry the primary sponsorship for four events, while Sammy Smith will wheel the Arby’s colors for three races. Allgaier will take the wheel of the primary scheme for one event.

Dirty Mo Media and the Dale Jr. Factor

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this announcement is how it leverages Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s personal brand. The agreement includes a personal service contract with the NASCAR Hall of Famer. Earnhardt Jr. has successfully transitioned from being the sport’s Most Popular Driver to being its most influential media mogul.

By including Dirty Mo Media in the partnership, Arby’s is tapping into a massive, engaged audience that listens to “The Dale Jr. Download” and consumes the digital content produced by Earnhardt’s studio. Earnhardt Jr. noted the aggressive nature of Arby’s marketing activation as a key factor in the deal. “It’s an exciting opportunity to have Arby’s partner up with our companies,” Earnhardt said.

He emphasized that JR Motorsports prides itself on offering unique marketing platforms, suggesting that fans can expect creative, fun collaborations between the race team and the restaurant chain. When Dale Jr. gets behind a brand, the authenticity usually shines through, and that is exactly what a partner looks for.

Connecting with the Fanbase

Jeff Baker, the Chief Marketing Officer at Arby’s, made it clear that speed and high-quality experiences are the shared values driving this collaboration. For a brand that touts having “The Meats,” aligning with stock car racing is a natural fit.

The demographic overlap between NASCAR fans and Arby’s customers is significant, and this partnership allows the brand to speak directly to loyalists both at the track and through digital channels.”Arby’s food makes everything better, and we can’t wait to deliver with JRM and Dale Jr. all season long,” Baker stated.

Looking Ahead to Atlanta

The countdown is now on for the February 21 debut at EchoPark Speedway. Atlanta has evolved into a superspeedway-style racing experience, meaning the racing will be tight, fast, and nerve-wracking. It is a high-visibility stage for Kvapil to unveil the new livery.

As JR Motorsports chases more championships to add to their collection from 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2024, having strong corporate backing is the lifeline of performance. This partnership ensures that JR Motorsports will continue to have the resources to build fast cars and hire top-tier talent. Tune in to see the No. 1 Arby’s Chevrolet on track at Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 5:00 p.m. ET on the CW, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Following a lengthy legal battle between 23XI Racing/FRM and NASCAR that revealed several worrying details about the sport’s governing bodies, all the parties involved in the case decided to move forward with a jury trial on the matter. And within two weeks of the trial, NASCAR decided to fold in front of the complainants, with everyone ultimately agreeing to settle.

The legal drama that could have been avoided altogether revealed dark truths about those sitting in the top positions in NASCAR, and all that happened before things went down a path of no recovery. But even with all the drama and damage, Kaulig Racing’s CEO feels that it is only a matter of time before all will be forgotten.

Kaulig Racing CEO Drops Blunt Verdict on NASCAR Lawsuit Settlement and Its Aftermath

As the Jury Trial went on, new details around the lawsuit kept coming to light, putting NASCAR in a difficult position. The sport seemed to be going down a path that would have caused disruption in the overall structure of it all, leaving space for something completely new to be introduced in 2026.

But before that could happen, NASCAR hit the emergency stop button, steering clear of a structural revamp no one asked for. But still, significant new changes are coming to the sport, with evergreen charters being one such element.

Ultimately, it’s a landmark victory for Michael Jordan and co., who took on the NASCAR-named Goliath, despite being told not to. And with the dust settled, Kaulig Racing’s Chris Rice feels that the ugly side of the lawsuit will quickly be forgotten, especially with Jordan and Jim France leaving the courtroom “happy.”

Appearing as a guest on the ‘Kenny Wallace Show‘ recently, Rice shared that the lawsuit settlement doesn’t impact him much and that he feels it won’t stay in the memory of the fans for long.

Per Rice, the details around the case matter little as long as both Jordan and France are happy.

“Whether we want to say Michael was winning by a landslide or NASCAR was losing by a landslide, we don’t care. I don’t care as a company. I don’t care as Chris Rice. What I care about is we got to a place that Michael’s happy, Jim France is happy, Ben Kennedy’s happy, Lisa’s happy, everybody’s happy with the decision that is made. Let’s move on. Let’s make it good for everybody that is involved.”

Rice added that after a while, some reporter will come along and detail how NASCAR got “dunked on” by Jordan, but it won’t affect him much.

“I think in the next 15 days or whatever, it’ll be over and in 40 days, this will be forgotten about. Some reporter will write Michael Jordan slam dunked on NASCAR, something like that, but I don’t even look at that. It doesn’t matter.”

Notably, Rice’s words carry a sentiment similar to that of Wallace from a few days ago, when he pointed out a harsh reality of the sport.

With the lawsuit settled and charters made evergreen, Wallace reached out to Jeff Gluck via X, as he wrote that fans had already shifted focus back to the points system and the cars being used in NASCAR. “Things move fast,” added the 62-year-old, highlighting the fact that the lawsuit had already become old news for most fans.

INDYCAR will have an independent officiating system in place for the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone seasons, the Indianapolis-based sanctioning body announced.

A new independent, not-for-profit organization–INDYCAR Officiating Inc.–has been established and will be governed by a three-person independent officiating board (IOB).

The board will select a managing director of officiating (MDO) and establish its annual budget. The board members were independently selected this week, with two members chosen via a vote from INDYCAR team owners, who are charter members, and the other member appointed by the Federation Internationale de I’Automobile (FIA).

The managing director will report directly to the independent board with no oversight from INDYCAR or Penske Entertainment officials. This individual will be charged with full officiating oversight–including the hiring of personnel for race control and INDYCAR technical inspection–and responsible for enforcing the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT rulebooks as written by INDYCAR.

The two IOB members selected via a vote from chartered team owners are:

• Ray Evernham–Longtime motorsports veteran who, most notably, served as the crew chief for three of Jeff Gordon’s NASCAR Cup Series championships. Evernham also pioneered Dodge’s return to NASCAR as owner of Evernham Motorsports before later becoming a television analyst, producer and consultant.
• Raj Nair–A 30-year veteran of the automotive and auto racing industries, Nair has vast experience and technical compliance expertise as an executive at Singer Group, Inc., Multimatic, Inc. and the Ford Motor Company, where he also served as the North American president from 2017-18. As the chief technical officer and executive vice president of Ford’s global product development (2012-17), Nair was responsible for all Ford Motorsports programs, including in NASCAR, IMSA and FIA WEC.

The third member of the IOB appointed by the FIA is:

• Ronan Morgan–Brings more than 50 years of global motorsport experience as a senior official, promoter, organizer and competitor. With the FIA, Morgan served as the chairman of stewards for more than 100 international race and rally events, was sporting manager of the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2009 to 2021 and is president of the FIA Drivers Commission. Morgan is also a member of the FIA World Motor Sport Council and advisor to the FIA President.

The FIA’s role in INDYCAR’s independent officiating system will be limited to the appointment of its board member.

For more information, visit indycar.com.