Just recently, a lot of people are out there searching for the Bubba Wallace Lawsuit Against NASCAR, but by this point, this whole matter has become way too complicated. Worry not, though, we’re here to simplify things for you and let you know where things currently stand. Here we go then.
Who’s in This Fight?
Basically, 23XI Racing, which is co-owned by none other than Michael Jordan (yep, the basketball legend) and Denny Hamlin, a major NASCAR driver, is your first thing. Drivers like Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and Riley Herbst are the team’s athletes who are in the mix, too.
Then, we have Front Row Motorsports, managed by Bob Jenkins with three drivers: Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, and Zane Smith.
NASCAR is on the other side. Just the big boss of stock car racing, who sets the rules, organizes the races, and has the highest-level Cup Series. Both sides have some top-notch lawyers. 23XI and FRM have a guy named Jeffrey Kessler on their side, who is a sports league litigator. On the other hand, NASCAR has Chris Yates working to keep the rules that they set.
Why This Bubba Wallace Lawsuit Against NASCAR Exists In The First Place?
This is where the story gets complicated. NASCAR operates a so-called “charter system.” Imagine it as owning a VIP pass to race in the Cup Series. If your team holds a charter, you’re assured a place in all the races and receive a much larger share of the prize money.
However, the thing is: NASCAR put together a new charter deal for 2025 to 2031, and it included a hidden clause. The teams would have to sign it in order to be able to bring no suit against NASCAR. 23XI and FRM considered this to be unjust, so they declared, “We’ll never sign it.” NASCAR’s move? They revoked their charters. That hurts.
It is a major blow to lose those charters. Without them, 23XI and FRM will be ‘open teams’ and have to compete for a spot in the ‘open wheel’ race. It means no race spots are guaranteed and the money will be drastically lower, think less than one-third of the amount chartered teams make per race. What’s more, both teams have made a move to buy additional charters from a team, Stewart-Haas Racing, but NASCAR has halted those transactions because of this very Bubba Wallace Lawsuit Against NASCAR.
A Quick Look at What Happened When
A quick glance at the timeline shows what has transpired so far. The co-owners of the 23XI and FRM teams sued NASCAR, accusing the governing body of monopolizing the sport and hindering fair competition in October 2024. Initially, the court had awarded a temporary injunction against NASCAR, 23XI, and FRM, allowing them to compete with their charters for the 2025 season in December 2024. But later in June 2025, the judgment was revoked.
The teams were then denied the ability to take legal action again in the appeals court in July when the court rejected their suit, saying, “No charters for you and no more.” Meanwhile, 23XI and FRM will be open for the rest of the season as their opponents.
Where Things Stand Now
At this moment in time, 23XI and FRM are operating as two separate teams without any restrictions. They have not been assigned to any given race; however, NASCAR has assured them that at least for now, they are safe from being removed during the time the lawsuit is ongoing. It is the December 1, 2025, trial day that everyone is looking forward to. That’s the time when we’ll know if NASCAR will continue as it is or if 23XI and FRM will bring some drastic changes.
