Just hours into the first day of the NASCAR trial that began on December 1, Judge Kenneth D. Bell slammed both sides, issuing a warning following opening statements.
The highly publicized antitrust lawsuit between 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports versus NASCAR opened in Federal Court in Charlotte North Carolina on Monday. Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, was in attendance.
Both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports chose not to sign the charter agreement last year, leading to the antitrust lawsuit that was filed in October 2024. Both teams accused NASCAR of operating as a non-competitive monopoly.
The plaintiffs believe the charter system and exclusive agreement put limits on commercial pursuits and profit potential.
NASCAR has denied these allegations and insisted its contracts and supplier agreements are in line with what is considered standard practices for any auto racing series.
The charter system began in 2016.
Judge Issues Warning Over Opening Statements
Shortly after the jury was chosen, opening statements were read in the afternoon. The Athletic reported that Judge Bell issued an impassioned warning to both sides for delivering opening statements “riddled with impermissible arguments.