The NASCAR antitrust lawsuit is the hottest topic right now, turning the sport into one of its most uncertain chapters in years. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are suing NASCAR over the charter system, claiming it unfairly locks in existing teams and breaks antitrust laws.

A federal judge has already called it a “50/50” proposition, warning both sides they’re playing with fire. For now, NASCAR has frozen six unassigned charters until the trial wraps, leaving the system in limbo as teams eye 2026. It’s a standoff that’s got everyone on edge, with the potential to reshape how teams operate and who gets to race.

At the core is NASCAR’s business model. Teams view charters as their main equity, a guaranteed spot in every race and a cut of TV money. NASCAR wants to keep control over who’s in and out, but 23XI and Front Row say that’s a monopoly, blocking alternatives and forcing bad deals. The extra twist?

Unused charters were supposed to lure new manufacturers like Dodge, long rumored for a comeback. Instead, they’re stuck in legal quicksand. Without a settlement before the December trial, the ruling could upend NASCAR’s financial setup for generations, leaving teams, fans, and even the France family scrambling. Everyone’s weighing in, from drivers to insiders, and the takes are flying. On the Door Bumper Clear podcast, NASCAR insiders tried to unpack this mess.

Major wants it to end on a 50/50 Note

On the latest Door Bumper Clear podcast, Ty Majors joined Freddie Kraft, Tommy Baldwin, and Karsyn Elledge to dive into the lawsuit, and he laid it out straight. “If either party thinks they’re going to win right now. That’s based what the judge said. Yeah I mean it’s just like it’s 50/50. I think you have two sides that are very strong-willed groups and then you have two lawyers that have gone against each other. Unfortunately I think it’s going to get worse a lot worse before maybe going to get better. I don’t think anybody is really going to win, so we’ll see.”

Majors nailed the uncertainty. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell has shown skepticism toward both NASCAR and the teams, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. At the August 2025 injunction hearing, Bell seemed troubled by NASCAR’s hardline on charters but not fully convinced by the teams’ antitrust claims. His warnings that “nobody should be confident” make Majors’ 50/50 call spot on. With lawyers who’ve clashed before, this feels like a drawn-out fight where both sides dig in deeper.

Majors kept it real on NASCAR’s risks, “I mean NASCAR has a lot to lose right? According to the judge’s comments, he could do anything the other side wants right for it to change. Well, that’s obviously why they’re suing and didn’t sign the agreements but it’s pretty interesting that NASCAR now is I think holding those six charters until after the lawsuit now. And you know the judge asked them to think about that and they did. So now it’s like what are they going to do with that party that they say wants to buy one.”

He’s highlighting NASCAR’s vulnerability. Judge Bell has stressed that a team win could force sweeping charter changes. That’s why 23XI and Front Row sued, they balked at signing the renewal in June, calling it antitrust illegal. Following Bell’s nudge, NASCAR froze the six charters for 2026, blocking sales or transfers until the case ends. Even with buyers lined up, NASCAR can’t move, showing Majors’ point: they could lose control if the ruling goes south.

Majors wrapped with a garage insider view, “You know it’s always my impression that those charters, the extra charters from 37 to 40, were always going to be held for new manufacturers. That’s… what we all probably, I think we all agreed on. That’s what we wanted them for is for new manufacturers to come in. Hopefully Dodge, they’re coming to save those for new teams and do the things that need to be done but it’s going to be interesting man.”

He’s echoing the widespread belief that unassigned charters (37–40) were meant to ease new OEMs in. The 2016 charter system aimed to stabilize teams and draw investment, with Dodge rumors swirling since Stellantis meetings in the 2020s. The garage saw those spots as a low barrier for new teams backed by manufacturers. Now, with the freeze, those charters might never reach Dodge or others if the lawsuit rewrites the rules, making Majors’ “interesting” understatement of the year.

Hamlin rebounds amid lawsuit chaos

Denny Hamlin proved he’s got the grit to bounce back from a rough week, finishing seventh in the Southern 500 playoff opener at Darlington. It was a solid run for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who needed it after a brutal stretch. Before Darlington, Hamlin sat through a court discovery hearing where explosive evidence from the NASCAR vs. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports lawsuit came out. Then NASCAR threatened to sell all three 23XI charters and Front Row’s three to mystery buyers.

Things escalated when Michael Jordan fired back, threatening to shut down 23XI if NASCAR pulled the trigger. Losing Jordan’s team would be a massive hit to NASCAR, not just for his six NBA rings but for drawing Black fans to the sport over the last decade. Hamlin felt a wave of relief behind the wheel of his No. 11 Toyota, challenging for the top five several times. Seventh isn’t a win or runner-up, but it leaves him second in playoff standings behind race winner and JGR teammate Chase Briscoe.

“Yes, it definitely does (feel good to rebound),” Hamlin told Frontstretch.com. “(It was a) good day all around for 23XI and a good day for us from a points standpoint. I wish we would have executed better to kind of see where we stacked up, but you’ll have that. But overall, you got to come out of days like today unscathed and obviously, the three of us have.”

Even though longtime Hamlin fan’s are worried how the lawsuit will affect his performance, Hamlin’s rebound shows he’s tuned out the noise, focused on the playoffs. With the lawsuit looming, his dual role as driver and owner adds pressure, but a clean Darlington run keeps him and 23XI in the fight.