NASCAR doubles down on “not an anti-trust issue” narrative in Michael Jordan’s 23XI lawsuit 

NASCAR Commissioner and former President, Steve Phelps, recently addressed the ongoing antitrust lawsuit filed by NASCAR Cup Series teams 23XI Racing (Michael Jordan-owned) and Front Row Motorsports. The lawsuit stems from these teams withholding their signatures from NASCAR’s charter agreement last September and subsequently suing NASCAR and its CEO Jim France. They alleged NASCAR were practising monopoly in the sanctioning body’s dealings.

Phelps, in a conversation with CNBC Sports’ Brian Sullivan, disagreed with the premise of the lawsuit; he said it was a “contractual issue” and not “antitrust”.

“Listen, I’m not sure why [23XI Racing] decided to bring a suit, and there’s another team called [Front Row Motorsports] that also partnered with them on this suit,” Phelps said. “It’s an antitrust case. We don’t believe it’s an antitrust case, we believe it’s a contractual issue.”

Steve Phelps emphasised that NASCAR has significantly increased revenue for the teams, citing a 73% increase in contract values over time as evidence against monopolistic behaviour. He continued to say, healthy race teams produce great quality racing and a good experience for fans, and NASCAR's role, he implies, has been to focus on supporting competitive teams and not restricting them, contrary to the lawsuit. When asked about the future position of the lawsuit, he expressed uncertainty with the overall outcome but was certain NASCAR would most definitely be vigorously defending its position.

The ongoing dispute remains a significant off-track storyline, with the possibility that 23XI and FRM could lose their Cup Series charters mid-season if the legal situation is not resolved favorably.

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Steve Phelps shared a strong sentiment on future Brazil Cup race days before NASCAR’s historic event in Mexico

NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps expressed strong enthusiasm about the possibility of hosting a NASCAR Cup Series race in Brazil, sharing his excitement ahead of NASCAR’s historic international event in Mexico City. While he did not provide a specific timeline for when a race in Brazil might happen, Phelps emphasized that all stakeholders would need to collaborate to make such an event a reality. He views a Brazilian race as an important step for NASCAR’s global growth and believes it would be significant for the sport and its category overall. He said (via Motorsport):

"I don't know when we'll get to Brazil. I'd like to see it happen. Obviously, we need all parties to come together and understand how important that would be for NASCAR in general and for the category. But I personally would be very excited about it."

He suggested that success in Mexico could inspire drivers and fans alike, potentially paving the way for future races in Brazil, particularly in São Paulo. This aligns with NASCAR’s broader strategy to grow its footprint beyond the United States and tap into passionate motorsport markets in South America.

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Edited by Luke Koshi