23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports asked for a fight, and NASCAR has given them exactly that. The promotion has filed a motion to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit that the teams had filed against it in October. NASCAR has stated in its motion that the purpose of the lawsuit filed by the teams was to express their frustration at business negotiations not going the way they wanted.
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NASCAR also revealed that 23XI Racing co-owner Curtis Polk had helped devise strategies that were in bad faith of the trust that existed with the teams. The motion stated that Polk’s plans included, “boycotts and potential boycotts of NASCAR events, negative media campaign to affect the media rights negotiations and threats/coercion to other team owners to ‘not break ranks’.”
Before 23XI Racing and FRM filed the lawsuit, Polk had openly expressed his stance against NASCAR. He arrived for the Southern 500 in Darlington wearing a t-shirt that read, “Please don’t ask me about my charter. I don’t want to disparage NASCAR and lose it.”
He later stirred the pond heavily by citing that teams only made 13% of the overall revenue generated, while the drivers made even less.
The motion filed by NASCAR further clarified that the promotion will not consider the transfer of Stewart-Haas Racing charters to either of the teams it is up against.
This is bound to create a heavy dent in the plans the two teams have made for the upcoming season. Particularly 23XI Racing. NASCAR’s move is an indicator that the teams had heavily underestimated the racing giant while taking it on.
Fans react to NASCAR’s blow against 23XI Racing and FRM
The two teams have until December 16 to file a response to the motion. It cannot be denied that NASCAR has made the narrative a lot more interesting with its latest move.
One fan, who found Polk to be on the wrong side, wrote on X in response to Bob Pockrass’ post reporting the news: “Alleges? The crook walked around the pits with a sign on his back.”
Another opined, “Feels like “threats” and “coercion” are words @NASCAR would be wise not to bring into this discussion.”
It cannot be forgotten that NASCAR threatened to revoke charters if team owners did not get on board with the charter agreement that it proposed.
i don’t know how this is going to play out, but i hope the bullies that own and run nascrap loses their ass.
— James Lee Duke (@jamesleeduke) December 3, 2024
A fan noted the same, “Nascar coerced the teams into signing the agreements ‘or else’. If that’s not evidence of running a monopoly or using the threat of losing their charters, I’m not sure what else it would take.”
This battle was, anyways, never going to be easy for the teams. The blowback reflects that. A follower wrote, “23XI and FRM thought this would be a cakewalk and NASCAR would just give in easily… they’ve started a war they can’t win.”
Be as it may, the teams will not go down without putting up a strong fight. They’re too far in now to back off. Fans will wait with bated breath to see what their response would be.
