The antitrust lawsuit winding up with a verdict after a fierce trial would have translated to huge setbacks for the losing party, not to mention the bitter fallout for the sport. That makes the settlement between NASCAR, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports an amicable solution for everyone. Chris Rice, CEO of Kaulig Racing and an important stakeholder in the sport, is breathing a sigh of relief in the way things ended.
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In a recent conversation with the former driver Kenny Wallace, Rice said that he believes the teams in the sport are like NASCAR’s children. And that NASCAR did not treat them all fairly.
Rice added that the promotion made decisions that didn’t fit the teams, which is why Michael Jordan got down to fixing things.
“I’m glad it got to a place where they settled and didn’t have to go to the jury to make a decision. Whether we want to say Michael was winning by a landslide or NASCAR was losing by a landslide, we don’t care. I don’t care as a company, I don’t care as a Chris Rice,” said Rice.
What the Kaulig Racing boss cares about is that they have reached a point where everyone is happy. All Rice wants to do now is move on.
Kaulig Racing’s plan for 2026
Kaulig Racing is undergoing massive changes next year. It has decided to shut down its O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (Xfinity) operation and focus on the Craftsman Truck Series, along with its Cup Series operation. It has partnered with Ram and will feature five entries in the Truck Series.
Interestingly, three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart was speculated to join its roster. Rice, however, had put those talks to bed quickly on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio last month and confirmed that the team doesn’t have any contract signed with Stewart.
But then, Rice also kept the possibility of it happening open. Stewart has been focusing solely on the NHRA after the shutdown of Stewart-Haas Racing, a team he co-owned with motorsports tycoon Gene Haas.
