NASCAR has tapped the brakes on its lucrative charter system, agreeing not to sell any charters this season and capping sales next season as it stares down an antitrust lawsuit in North Carolina federal court. The high-octane legal fight pits NASCAR against two powerhouse challengers — Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by NBA icon Michael Jordan and racing star Denny Hamlin. A trial is set for December, promising a dramatic showdown over the future of stock car racing.
Charters act like golden tickets in the racing world, guaranteeing teams entry into Cup Series races and securing them a slice of revenue. For teams locked out, the stakes are nothing short of survival.
Court Pressure Forces NASCAR’s Hand
In a filing Friday, NASCAR told the court it would halt charter sales for the 2025 Cup Series and issue no more than four for the 2026 season. The move follows a tense Thursday hearing, where U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell warned that granting or denying a preliminary injunction would essentially signal whether the plaintiffs were likely to win on the merits — a message he said he was hesitant to deliver with trial so close.
NASCAR framed the pause as a strategic move to “focus on growing the sport for 2026” and prepare for the trial, while emphasizing it was not conceding wrongdoing. Currently, 30 active charters exist, along with two inactive ones tied to the very teams suing NASCAR.
