Basketball legend Michael Jordan arrived at the Western District of North Carolina on Monday as his bitter legal battle with NASCAR kicked off, in a trial that could change the way the sport operates.
Jordan’s racing team, 23XI Racing, which he co-owns with three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and his business manager Curtis Polk, is suing NASCAR over antitrust claims. They are joined by Front Row Motorsports, a team owned by Bob Jenkins. Both teams refused to sign NASCAR’s new charter agreements in late 2024.
The lawsuit claims NASCAR acts like a monopoly, controlling track ownership, rules, and revenue distribution in a way that disadvantages smaller teams. The teams argue the charter system—introduced in 2016 to guarantee race spots and payouts—fails to provide fair revenue or a voice in governance.
Hamlin, who narrowly missed the Cup Series championship last month, warned fans that the trial would reveal the truth about NASCAR’s practices.
“Our fans have been brainwashed with NASCAR’s talking points for decades. Lies are over starting Monday morning. It’s time for change,” he wrote on social media.
NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps said the organization tried to settle the dispute before the trial. NASCAR argues it hasn’t violated antitrust law, pointing to higher payouts in the new charter agreements and opportunities for non-chartered “open teams” to qualify for races.
Even though 23XI and Front Row cars made it into all races as open teams, the teams claim they lost millions in potential earnings. Pretrial documents show NASCAR earned over $100 million in 2024.
The trial is expected to last two weeks and could have major implications for the future of NASCAR.
