23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports scored a victory over NASCAR in federal court on Wednesday.
Judge Kenneth Bell ruled in favor of the teams’ request for a preliminary injunction to compete as sanctioned teams in 2025. Bell’s granting of the injunction in federal court in North Carolina means the two teams can compete with the benefits granted to them from an authorized team. team and also allow them to complete charter purchases from Stewart-Haas Racing. NASCAR has the ability to appeal the decision.
The two teams sought the injunction when they filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR in October over the sanctioning body’s charter agreement. Both were the only teams that did not sign the new contract. The previous charter agreement, NASCAR’s version of a franchise agreement between itself and its teams, expired at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
“The Court hereby enters a preliminary injunction limited only to the duration of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season as follows: Defendants and their agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all persons in concert or active participation with the defendants, must allow each plaintiff to enter two race cars in all NASCAR Cup Series races under the terms of the 2025 Charter Agreement applicable to all charter teams, except that the ‘release’ language in Section 10.3 of the “The 2025 Charter Agreement will be unenforceable to the extent it releases or bars plaintiffs’ claims in this action,” the ruling states. “Furthermore, NASCAR is preliminarily enjoined from refusing to approve plaintiffs’ purchases of two Stewart-Haas Racing, LLC. charters, which plaintiffs will have the right to use in all 2025 NASCAR Cup Series races on the same terms as other charter teams, again with the exception of the application of the release language to Plaintiffs’ claims in this action; and the Court will establish a case management schedule that, in the absence of a voluntary resolution of this dispute between the Parties, provides that a trial regarding Plaintiffs’ claims is concluded before the start of the 2026 NASCAR racing season.”
Both 23XI and Front Row competed as two-car teams in 2024. 23XI, the team co-owned by Michael Jordan and NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin, fielded cars for Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, while Front Row had drivers Michael McDowell and Todd. Gilliland. With four-car Stewart Haas Racing closing at the end of the 2024 season, each team agreed to purchase a contract from SHR to expand to three cars and drivers in 2025.
Hamlin had a jubilant reaction on social media following the ruling.
Front Row is expected to introduce a third car for Zane Smith in 2025, as Noah Gragson replaces McDowell. 23XI Racing already announced that Riley Herbst would drive a third car for the team.
“We welcome today’s decision by Judge Bell granting a preliminary injunction in our favor,” the teams’ attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, said in a statement. “The court ruling allows 23XI and Front Row Motorsports to compete existing cars as sanctioned teams in next year’s Cup Series. The decision also requires NASCAR to approve both teams’ purchases of a third contract from Stewart-Haas Racing and allow these cars to also compete as sanctioned teams in the 2025 season. We are confident in the strength of our case and will continue to fight for racing to can thrive and become a more competitive and fair sport in a way that benefits the teams, drivers, sponsors and, most importantly, our fans.”
Charter teams receive a larger share of NASCAR money, and charters guarantee one car entry in every race on the Cup schedule. Both 23XI and FRM had previously been allowed to compete as open teams in 2025 if there had not been The injunction was granted, although each would not have been guaranteed three spots in the Daytona 500 if more than 40 cars attempted the race.