The antitrust lawsuit trial between NASCAR and 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports has got the entire sport on high alert. Industry icons are speculating what the outcome of the court proceedings could be and how it would change the dynamics that exist today. Among the many veterans who have expressed their opinions is the former driver Rick Mast.
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Mast was a consistent presence on the Cup Series field through the 1990s and runs an environmental cleanup company today. He believes that NASCAR might come out of this entire chaos with minimal damage if they choose to become humble and market their submission in the right way. But otherwise, there could be some hard repercussions for whichever side loses.
If NASCAR wins, the teams are going to appeal the decision, and the case could drag on for years. If the teams win, NASCAR would inevitably do the same.
He said on Kenny Wallace‘s YouTube Channel, “I just don’t think our sport can withstand such a long period of appeals. We’re going to get beaten up too much. I just don’t know about that. All right. So, that covers the NASCAR side.”
“If the race teams win, barring an appeal, which I’m telling you right now, as soon as that thing happens, NASCAR will try to appeal this, right? And I’ll tell you why. Because to NASCAR, this is a death sentence.”
The team winning the lawsuit means a judge will be the one who decides what happens with the sport and its operational model. NASCAR will be stripped of all power and might have to obey a governance board. It might also have to sell off its race tracks.
“You have the inmates running the asylum, you might say. I mean, there are so many facets of what could go on with this judge and what decisions he comes down with. I truly believe in NASCAR’s heart of hearts, they feel as if they lose, they’ve lost the sport. They feel like it’s a death sentence,” Mast continued.
This is precisely why they would go on appeal if they lost the lawsuit. But doing so would again have extreme consequences. The companies that are engaged in sponsorship deals and media deals with the promotion would simply not appreciate the idea of being pulled into a lengthy courtroom drama that affects business at the end of the day.
Mast believes firmly that NASCAR will still be prepared to go through all those tough times if it comes to the risk of losing control of the sport.
