The antitrust trial now developing in federal court has already prompted Judge Kenneth D. Bell to warn the room that no one would walk away unscathed. From the start, he urged NASCAR, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports to find middle ground, insisting a settlement was the only path that offered even a sliver of a soft landing.
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Although all sides made an effort to negotiate, no agreement materialized, leaving the sport to brace for the fallout. Even longtime NASCAR personality Kenny Wallace has weighed in, offering a blunt appraisal of the impact the storm brewing over the industry will have.
Wallace addressed the trial’s potential to bruise the sport at its core, as well as his own personal stance on the same.
He said, “I do not like NASCAR being sued. I think this is bad for our sport. I think it’s ugly. However, I’ve always been a realist. Therefore, as much as I love NASCAR, they’re being sued, and I can’t help it, and I’m sad for them, and I don’t like it.”
Yet he stressed that he still tries to approach the situation with what he called a positive mental attitude. As he put it, he cares deeply about NASCAR, but the lawsuit is out of his hands. It saddens him, and he doesn’t hide his disappointment. Like Mark Martin once noted, Wallace believes the sport is entering an era of unintended consequences.
He also aligned himself with Ken Schrader’s concerns that the trial could push sponsors to the brink. Schrader warned that corporate partners might decide the off-track ugliness isn’t worth the association.
“Coffee with Kenny”
Hey Wallace!
Why don’t you talk about how about this is hurting @NASCAR ? pic.twitter.com/aVTJk5Vsit— Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace) December 4, 2025
Wallace agreed, adding that fans could distance themselves from the sport, especially after seeing what former NASCAR President Steve Phelps and other top officials said about Richard Childress in private messages.
Yet the trial is only warming up. The early stages have already shown that each passing day will stir more acrimony, reveal more unflattering exchanges, and place more pressure on the industry’s fault lines. The witness list includes Childress, which adds even more volatility to an already volatile environment.
And the risks cut both ways. If NASCAR prevails, two teams that have invested tens of millions could find themselves forced to shutter operations. On the other hand, if 23XI and Front Row win, the consequences for NASCAR could be seismic as the league could face up to $300 million in damages.
It may be necessary to divest the racetracks that anchor most of the Cup Series calendar, or even to wipe the entire charter system from existence. Beyond that, the France family’s control of the league could be fractured.
No matter the verdict, the industry won’t escape without bruises. This is the kind of fight where every punch lands somewhere, and in the end, the entire sport might feel the sting.
