NASCAR accuses 23xi racing of “intentional” violation of antitrust laws, according to judicial documents. The company is co-ownership of the six times NBA champion Michael Jordan.
A controversial negotiation period of two years on new charter agreements led to the lawsuit. Are charters Nascar’s equivalent From a franchise model. Teams with charters receive at least 36 places on every race weekend.
A 30 -page lawsuit brought in the western district of North Carolina argued that the entity of Jordan, more specifically business manager Curtis Polk, bypassed antitrust laws by orchestrating in connection with the most recent charter agreements. Polk is mentioned as a suspect in the submission.
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November 9, 2024; Evening, Arizona. 23xi Racetament owner Michael Jordan during the qualification for the Cup Series Championship Race on Phoenix Raceway. (Gary A. Vasquez imagn images)
Motorsports in the front row also refused to sign the new agreements, which were presented to the teams shortly before the start of the Nascar play -offs. Restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins owns Motorsports in the front row. In addition to Jordan, Polk and driver Denny Hamlin are co-owners of 23xi Racing.
The charters were fought by the teams prior to the 2016 season and were expanded twice. The latest expansion is for seven years to match the current deal of the media rights. 23xi and in the first row refused and charged, claiming that Nascar and the France family, who own the stockcars series, are a monopoly.
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Nascar was defeated in the court in De Ronde. The two teams are recognized as chartered organizations for the 2025 season while the legal dispute is winding through the courts. Nascar has also appealed against a decision to have the case rejected.
“Today’s counterclaim by Nascar is a deserving distraction and a desperate attempt to shift the attention of his own illegal, monopolistic actions,” said lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, who represents 23xi and front row, in a statement.
October 27, 2024; Homestead, Florida, US; 23xi team owner Michael Jordan looks at Homestead-Miami Speedway during the Straight Talk Wireless 400. (Jasen Vinlove imagement Images)
“NASCAR agreed with the joint negotiations that they now attack. When those joint negotiations failed, they used individual negotiations to impose their charter conditions, most teams decided that they had no choice but to accept.”
The counterclaim suggested that Polk was the leader in the fight against the current charter proposals. Nascar lawyer Christopher Yates told The Associated Press that Polk has a complete understanding of Nascar’s business model.
The Nascar Cup Series logo as drivers racing on Bristol Motor Speedway. (Mark Humphrey/Pool -Photo via USA Today Network)
“Curtis Polk orchestrated and in fact endangered a boycott of one of the qualifying races for a big event, and others did not come along,” said Yates. “He received other teams to boycott a meeting that was needed by the charter. If you have an endangered boycott of qualifying races that are covered by media, that is not good for other racing teams, not a good thing if you try to grow the sport collectively.”
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The qualifying race in question was the pair of 150 miles from last year that the field for the Daytona 500.
“I don’t think Mr. Polk really understands the sport,” Yates added. “I think he came in, and his opinion is that it should look much more like the NBA or other competition sports. But it is not. No motorsport is true. He has done many things that can work in the NBA or may be in the NBA, but simply not suitable in Nascar.”
In the meantime, Jordan has previously stated that he suits Nascar on behalf of all teams, so that everyone can be on the same basis in terms of benefits as a participant at the Top Motorsports League in the US.
The Associated Press has contributed to this report.
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