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NASCAR CEO Jim France faces antitrust lawsuit in Talladega

Posted on by darion

NASCAR and its CEO Jim France are facing an antitrust lawsuit filed by two teams – 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. The lawsuit announced earlier this week accuses NASCAR of creating a monopoly on stock car racing.

Key sticking points include restrictive charter agreements, NASCAR’s control over next-generation cars and related rights, restrictions on participation in non-NASCAR events and reliance on a single source for next-generation vehicles.

France, who was spotted at Talladega Superspeedway, chose not to comment on the details of the case when approached by reporters. Instead, France returned its focus to the ongoing NASCAR championship battles. FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass shared on social media:

“I saw Jim France in the garage. He refused to talk about the 23XI/FRM lawsuit. He said he was looking forward to the race today.”

Sam Mayer
Sam Mayer, driver of the No. 1 First Bank of Alabama Chevrolet, and AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16 Morris-Shea Bridge Co. Chevrolet. Inc., racing during the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway…


Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Jeff Gluck of The Athletic also wrote:

“NASCAR President and CEO Jim France declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said: ‘I am excited about our championship battles and look forward to a fantastic race today.’”

Earlier this week, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports released a joint statement confirming the lawsuit filed in the Western District of North Carolina. As previously reported by Newsweek Sports, it read:

“We share a passion for racing, the thrill of competition and victory. Off the race track, we share the belief that change is necessary in the sport we love. Together, we brought this antitrust case so that racing can thrive and become a more competitive and fair sport in a way that benefits teams, drivers, sponsors and, most importantly, fans.”

23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin commented on the decision to take legal action:

“I think it’s quite simple. When I look around, I see that the best and most competitive sports in the world understand that when teams thrive, fans benefit, and that anyone who invests in a sport’s success should share that success fairly With the right changes, we can certainly make it happen that this will become a reality in racing.

Bob Jenkins, owner of Front Row Motorsports, also explained:

“I have been a part of this racing community for 20 years and I couldn’t be more proud of the Front Row Motorsports team and our success. But it’s time for a change. We need a more competitive and fair system where teams, drivers, and sponsors can be rewarded for our collective investments by building long-term enterprise value, just like any other successful professional sports league.”

As of this writing, France has yet to officially comment on the lawsuit.