The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series is turning towards providing a potential championship win for Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing that would be biblical by all accounts. But the success that the duo may taste is underpinned by a sour taste in the mouth for NASCAR, given the legal ramifications hanging over their necks. After refusing to sign the latest charter document, 23XI and Front Row Motorsports (FRM) have filed a lawsuit against the series’ sanctioning body.
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What makes this case interesting is the fact that Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI, has cracked the NASCAR code. Now, as the sport moves into a new era, his reluctance to bend his knees before the organization has been making all the shockwaves.
But let’s begin by examining why Reddick’s potential title run is an emphatic ode to motor racing in the first place. With the growing popularity of motorsport, we’ve seen many A-listers and big names enter the fray. But none have made an impact like Jordan.
23XI Racing was born in 2021. And just four years into operation, the team has knocked on the biggest door of the American Stock Car racing landscape — the NASCAR Cup Series. Jordan has ensured that he has set the tone for everyone in his organization.
Fox analyst Larry McReynolds described the influence Jordan has had on the team. “Michael Jordan is there in the trenches with those race teams every single week and you could tell just how elated he was to see that car get that win yesterday [Sunday],” he said after Reddick‘s Homestead-Miami triumph.
What is the lawsuit between 23XI, FRM, and NASCAR about?
What McReynolds meant was Jordan has instilled a few values within the team but has also brought his extensive experience in the world of elite sports. And maybe that’s why he refused to give into NASCAR’s demands.
23XI’s refusal to sign the charter has now materialized into a lawsuit. Jordan and FRM have sued NASCAR for breaching antitrust and competition laws. The argument is that the latest charter was another attempt by the sanctioning body to tighten its grip on the teams and their commercial freedom.
As things stand, both teams are insisting on entering the 2025 championship on terms that were decided before the proposed charter. This has resulted in an injunction notice being filed by them to maintain the status quo. NASCAR has filed its reply and the teams have also submitted an additional rejoinder to that effect.
Is Michael Jordan questioning NASCAR’s integrity?
On the one hand, 23XI has been showcasing what motor racing and NASCAR really mean — after being the perfect example of how a good team, owner, and driver can lead to fast-tracked success. But on the other hand, questioning NASCAR’s ways in a court of law has also raised a few eyebrows about the sustainability of the series’ future.
This debate has been doing the rounds of social media, too. Fans are questioning how it would look for NASCAR if a team that has openly called them out goes on to win the coveted championship.
We will have to wait and see how the off-track battle between NASCAR and Jordan pans out but for fans of Tyler Reddick, they have one final test — the season finale at Phoenix.
