On Monday, NASCAR filed a motion with U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell requesting the appointment of a judge to oversee a settlement conference that, if successful, could prevent the trial set for December 1. The motion referenced Michael Jordan’s recent remarks that 23XI Racing, which he co-owns with Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, “has always been open to a settlement.” But Dale Jr. thinks something is fishy.
However, Dale Jr. believes that it’s all for public view. Speaking on his latest Dale Junior podcast, he said, “Was this more was this really nothing more than NASCAR going by the way we do want a settlement, if that you know not not that we think one’s going to happen, but we just want people to know that we’re, we’re not against the settlement. I think that’s a big thing is public perception.”
More eyes on the “settlement” bid will definitely gain NASCAR more brownie points as they put up a front of negotiation. NASCAR has also shown that there is a path to resolution before the trial with the summary judgment, though it is unwilling to renegotiate the charter agreements. And although Michael Jordan said after the last hearing in August that he was open to a settlement, the attorney representing 23XI and Front Row Motorsports indicated that the clients are prepared to go to trial.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Backing up NASCAR’s “gameplan,” Dale Jr. added, ” And so, you know, it’s just a reminder, I think, more than anything of by the way, like, you know, we’re not over here. We will settle under the right terms, right? We’re totally down with that. Not even expecting it to happen, but just so that the public knows. Um, and that maybe could be what this is.”