Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing Team Joins Lawsuit Against NASCAR and CEO Jim France
23XI Racing, the team co-owned by NBA icon Michael Jordan, has joined forces with Front Row Motorsports to file a federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and its CEO, Jim France.
The lawsuit, filed in North Carolina, accuses NASCAR of employing "anticompetitive and exclusionary practices" designed to benefit the organization while sidelining the premier stock car racing teams, CNBC reports.
The lawsuit also claims that NASCAR and the France family violated both Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
The teams argue that NASCAR has been operating as a monopsony, limiting fair competition and monopolizing control over the premier stock car racing market. Section 1 of the act, which prohibits any "contract, combination...or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce,” is also at the heart of the allegations.
The lawsuit’s timing is notable, as 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were the only holdouts in signing NASCAR’s recent Charter Agreement, a deal accepted by every other Cup Series organization last month.
Their suit further highlights the “unlawful monopolization of premier stock car racing by the France family,” aiming to expose what they see as an ongoing issue of inequality and control within the sport.
23XI and Front Row Motorsports released a joint statement on their X platform following news of the suit, stating, “We share a passion for racing, the thrill of competition, and winning. Off the racetrack, we share a belief that change is necessary for the sport we love. Together, we brought this antitrust case so that racing can thrive and become a more competitive and fair sport in ways that will benefit teams, drivers, sponsors, and most importantly, fans.”
The latest legal action from two major racing teams highlights mounting frustrations with NASCAR’s dominance and sparks questions about the organization’s business practices.
23XI Racing was founded in 2020 by Jordan, driver Denny Hamlin, and the former NBA star’s longtime business partner, Curtis Polk. Front Row Motorsports, meanwhile, is owned by Bob Jenkins and has been racing full-time since 2005.
