U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Bell has ruled in favor of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, granting them a preliminary injunction that allows the teams to compete as chartered teams in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
Judge Bell cited the “present prospect” of irreparable harm, including the potential loss of key drivers, as a key factor in his decision.
He stated, “The ‘present prospect’ of the loss of star drivers constitutes irreparable harm that ‘cannot fully be rectified by the final judgment after trial.’”
The court concluded that circumstances had evolved, making the harm no longer speculative but immediate.
The court documents clarify the scope of the injunction: “The Court hereby enters a limited preliminary injunction only for the duration of the 2025 NASCAR Cup season as follows.
Defendants and their agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all persons in active concert or participation with.
Defendants, must allow Plaintiffs to each enter two race cars in all NASCAR Cup races under the 2025 Charter Agreement terms applicable to all charter teams, with the exception that the ‘release’ language in Section 10.3 of the 2025 Charter Agreement shall not be enforceable to the extent that it would release or bar Plaintiffs’ claims in this action.”
This ruling marks a pivotal development in the antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR.
The lawsuit, initiated on October 2, 2024, argues that NASCAR’s charter agreements violate antitrust laws by restricting competition.
The preliminary injunction requires NASCAR to allow both teams to enter and race two cars each under the terms of the 2025 Charter Agreement.
Additionally, NASCAR must approve the teams’ purchase of an additional charter from Stewart-Haas Racing, enabling each to expand to three full-time cars in 2025.
The decision is a significant victory for the two teams, both of which have become influential players in NASCAR.
Co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing fields notable drivers such as Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick.
Front Row Motorsports, founded by Bob Jenkins, has been a competitive presence in the series since 2004.
Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney representing both teams, expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling, stating:
“We welcome today’s decision by Judge Bell granting a preliminary injunction in our favor.
The court’s ruling allows 23XI and Front Row Motorsports to race existing cars as chartered teams in next year’s Cup Series.
The decision also requires NASCAR to approve both teams’ purchases of a third charter from Stewart-Haas Racing and allow these cars to also race as chartered teams in the 2025 season.”
Although the ruling is a notable win for 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, NASCAR has not yet indicated whether it plans to appeal.
Regardless of a potential appeal, the preliminary injunction only applies to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
The core antitrust claims remain unresolved and are expected to be addressed before the 2026 season.
The teams had refused to sign a new charter agreement on September 6, which led to the lawsuit.
While an earlier request for a preliminary injunction was denied, new evidence highlighting the potential harm caused by losing drivers and sponsors proved instrumental in Judge Bell’s decision.
