NASCAR abruptly ended a high-profile antitrust showdown Thursday, striking a NASCAR 23XI settlement that brought a dramatic halt to a nine-day trial over allegations it illegally cemented a monopoly over top-tier stock car racing. The deal came moments after the plaintiffs — including 23XI Racing, co-owned by retired NBA legend Michael Jordan and driver Denny Hamlin — accused the organization of wielding the sport’s charter system as a weapon to control the racing landscape.
A Surprise Settlement Amid Rising Tensions
Plaintiffs’ attorney Jeffrey Kessler of Winston & Strawn LLP told U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell shortly after 10 a.m. that both sides had “positively settled this matter,” confirming all terms were agreed upon but needed to be finalized. The announcement followed a 90-minute recess and landed just one day after 23XI and Front Row Motorsports rested their case. Jordan and Hamlin, who had attended every session, watched from the courtroom as the proceedings came to an unexpected stop.
