NASCAR
NASCAR settles lawsuit with race teams, grants form of “evergreen” charters
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service
CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Moments after Judge Kenneth D. Bell announced a settlement agreement and dismissed the jury Thursday in the case of “23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports v. NASCAR,” the healing already had begun.
NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell was smiling as he slapped Michael Jordan on the back. The co-owner of 23XI, one of the plaintiffs in the case, smiled back and the two men—adversaries in the antitrust litigation just a day earlier—talked pleasantly for a moment.
In a joint statement issued after the settlement was reached, NASCAR and the two race teams indicated that a form of evergreen charters, a major issue during the trial, would become a reality.
“As a condition of the settlement agreement, NASCAR will issue an amendment to existing charter holders detailing the updated terms for signature, which will include a form of ‘evergreen’ charters, subject to mutual agreement,” according to the statement. “The financial terms of the settlement are confidential and will not be released.”
After negotiations that lasted two-and-a-half years, 13 NASCAR Cup Series teams signed the 2025 charter agreement. Front Row and 23XI did not and ultimately filed the antitrust litigation that went to trial on Dec. 1.
Under Wednesday’s settlement, 23XI and Front Row will retain their charters.
Roughly 40 minutes after Bell thanked the jury for its service and told the nine jurors that the trial was over, the opposing parties stood together on the Western District of North Carolina courthouse steps to talk about the settlement.
“Like two competitors, obviously we try to get as much done in each other’s favor,” Jordan said, “but I think, collectively, and I don’t think (NASCAR chairman and CEO) Jim (France) was any opposite of me, the fans have always been the best solution to this whole problem and to the sport itself.
“The only way—and I’ve said this from day one—the only way this sport’s going to grow is that we have to find some synergy between the two entities. I think we’ve gotten to that point. Unfortunately, it took 16 months to get here, but I think level heads have got us to this point to where we can actually work together and grow the sport.
“I’m very proud about that, and I think Jim feels the same.”
“I do feel the same,” France responded. “We can get back to focusing on what we really love, and that’s racing. We’ve spent a lot of time not really focused on that so much as we need to be.
“I feel like we’ve made a very good decision here together, and we have a big opportunity to keep growing the sport. We’ve got (23XI co-owner) Denny Hamlin getting ready to go for a championship, and we need to focus on what we all love.”
Asked what the impetus was that brought the parties to agreement on the ninth day of the trial, Jordan replied, “Level heads. In all honesty, when you get to the finish line sometimes, you have to think not just for yourself, but you’ve got to think about the sport as a whole.
“And I think both parties got to that point, and we realized that we could have an opportunity to settle this, and we dove in and we actually did it. Unfortunately, it took us that long, but we got here, and that’s all that matters.”
Though he didn’t discuss specifics of the agreement, Hamlin clearly was pleased with the result.
“I feel like everything within this settlement is going to grow the sport,” Hamlin said. “And it’s going to be better for everyone—no doubt about it.”
Early Thursday morning, it was clear that the ninth session of the trial would not be like the preceding eight. The video screens that display court documents on either side of the courtroom were nowhere to be seen.
Plaintiffs lead attorney Jeffrey Kessler huddled with Hamlin, Jordan, Front Row owner Bob Jenkins and 23XI co-owner Curtis Polk on the left side of the courtroom. Soon thereafter, NASCAR outside counsel John Stephenson conferred with France and NASCAR executive vice chair Lesa France Kennedy.
Later, Bell entered the courtroom, called for the jurors and immediately dismissed them after telling them, “We need an hour so we can save you several hours.”
The resolution took longer than that, as lawyers for the parties prepared the settlement agreement.
Finally, NASCAR outside counsel Lawrence E. Buterman produced the document, and Bell began to read.
“Have the parties agreed to settle all issues before the jury?” Bell asked. The respective lawyers affirmed the agreement.
Bell then summoned the jurors for the final time, thanked them for their service and told them the case was over.
Bell concluded with the statement that “I wish we could’ve done this two months ago (during a settlement conference). I believe this is great for NASCAR, great for the future of NASCAR, great for the entity of NASCAR, great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 3, 2026) – Four-time IndyCar Champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti is returning to the cockpit to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) race at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding.
Franchitti will drive the No. 1 Dollar Tree Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in a partnership between TRICON Garage (TRICON), Jimmie Johnson and Legacy Motor Club. (LEGACY MC) for the Scotsman’s first NASCAR race in 17-years.
“The thought of racing a NASCAR truck on a street circuit is really intriguing to me,” said Franchitti, who is an advisor and driver coach at Chip Ganassi Racing. “The different surfaces, the fact that part of it is on an airport, then you go into the streets, the different bumps all those things you got to try and master. This was just the chance to race on a circuit that I love, and a chance to do something fun.”
Franchitti has remained deeply involved in motorsports as a broadcast analyst and as an advisor and driver coach at Chip Ganassi Racing, following a brutal crash at Houston in 2013. Franchitti began competing in historic car events in 2019 allowing him to still fulfill his love of driving. Teaming up with his friend and fellow racing Champion made it all that much more intriguing.
“This all stemmed from a conversation with Jimmie,” said Franchitti. “The opportunity to race the truck, it was really him, it was the whole team that he has there [at LEGACY MC] that made it all happen. His relationship with Toyota, Dollar Tree coming on a sponsor — it’s all been through Jimmie and the team at LEGACY MC. If it goes well, great. If it doesn’t go well, I am going to be blaming Jimmie.”
Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation, Franchitti has a decorated résumé at the highest levels of open-wheel motorsports. The Scottish driver captured the IndyCar Series championship in 2007 followed by three consecutive championships from 2009 to 2011. His 31 career wins between IndyCar and CART, highlighted by Indianapolis 500 triumphs in 2007, 2010 and 2012, includes a victory at the 1.8-mile St. Petersburg street course on March 27, 2011, in a dominant performance leading 94 out of 100 laps.
“Dario and I had been talking for a long time about the chance to race together, so when he approached me about St. Petersburg, I knew I had to get to work,” explained Johnson. “I called him back a day later with an incredible opportunity to join a championship-winning team with Toyota and the great people at TRICON.”
It will be role reversal to a degree for the duo as Franchitti mentored Johnson when the 7-time NASCAR Champion went IndyCar racing with CGR in 2021 & 2022.
“It’s been a lot of fun getting him integrated into the team and spending more time together, going through the process of getting him back to racing,” said Johnson. “I’m so excited it all came together and thankful that Dollar Tree is going to support. I am looking forward to sitting on the pit box alongside the team and sharing this experience with Dario.”
The NCTS Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is scheduled for Saturday February 28 at 12 p.m. ET, with broadcast coverage on FOX and radio coverage on SiriusXM and the NASCAR Racing Network.
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service
(February 1, 2026) – Unexpectedly heavy snow from Saturday’s storm over the Southeast forced a second postponement of the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The season-opening NASCAR Cup Series exhibition race will move from Monday to Wednesday, with practice and qualifying set to open the proceedings at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The 75-lap Last Chance Qualifying Race will take place at 4:30 p.m. ET, followed by the 200-lap Clash at 6 p.m. ET.
Practice and qualifying, consisting of three groups, will be broadcast on the Fox Sports App, with FOX picking up the coverage of the Last Chance Qualifier and Clash main event.
MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will broadcast all components of the racing action on Wednesday.
“This event is for the fans, and the fans at The Madhouse are some of the most passionate fans in all of sports,” said Justin Swilling, project lead for the Cook Out Clash.
“Moving the Cook Out Clash to Wednesday, Feb. 4, gives us the best opportunity to hold this event with fans at Bowman Gray Stadium while allowing the City of Winston-Salem to dedicate all of their resources to respond to the needs created by this historic weather event.”
NASCAR is continuing to work closely with the City of Winston-Salem and North Carolina Department of Transportation on the on-going impacts of the historic winter weather in the city and surrounding region to host a safe event.
Parking lots will open Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. with off-site shuttle services beginning at noon. Gates will open at 12:30 p.m.
Ticket holders can get more information at www.nascarclash.com/weather or by calling 855-525-7223.
By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service
NASCAR announced Tuesday that Steve Phelps will be leaving his position as Commissioner of the stock car sanctioning body after a two-decade long career in the sport’s executive leadership.
The decision was Phelps’ and NASCAR leaders offered the 63-year old Vermont-native praise for the legacy and accomplishments he leaves behind over a long career of guiding the sport – noting “a legacy of leadership and a strategic vision that delivered significant growth and lasting innovation, championed equity and social justice initiatives, and created industry-wide opportunities for all stakeholders.”
Phelps held the helm of the sport through a modern-era time of both great challenges – such as navigating the COVID pandemic – and noted triumphs, such as a broader international presence and multi-billion-dollar media rights agreements.
“As a lifelong race fan, it gives me immense pride to have served as NASCAR’s first Commissioner and to lead our great sport through so many incredible challenges, opportunities and firsts over my 20 years,’’ Phelps said.
“Our sport is built on the passion of our fans, the dedication of our teams and partners and the commitment of our wonderful employees. It has been an honor to help synthesize the enthusiasm of long-standing NASCAR stakeholders and that of new entrants to our ecosystem, such as media partners, auto manufacturers, track operators and incredible racing talent.”
Among Phelps’ legacies as a leader is what many in the sport consider a “transformational” new schedule in NASCAR’s big leagues, from the holding the annual “Clash” preseason feature at California’s famed Los Angeles Coliseum to adding races again at some of NASCAR’s favored venerable facilities such as North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway and Raleigh’s Bowman Gray Stadium to adding first-time street races in Chicago and this year in San Diego, as well as bringing NASCAR internationally to a well-received event in Mexico City last season.
Among the highlights under Phelps’ tenure, NASCAR completed its merger with International Speedway Corporation (ISC) in 2019 and launched the Next Gen race car in 2022 – only the seventh new car in the sport’s history. He is also credited with leading the sport’s outreach to new fans and of course, securing a long-term media rights deal, and overseeing the sport’s innovative charter agreements.
“Steve will forever be remembered as one of NASCAR’s most impactful leaders,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said, calling it an “honor” to work alongside Phelps.
“For decades he has worked tirelessly to thrill fans, support team and execute a vision for the sport that has treated us all to some of the greatest moments in our nearly 80-year history,” France said.
Phelps thanked the France family, colleagues, friends and fans for playing an “important and motivational role in my career” said he plans to “embark on new pursuits in sports and other industries.”
The reigning NASCAR Cup Series championship Hendrick Motorsports organization released a statement thanking Phelps for his ‘leadership and dedication to NASCAR” noting he “helped our sport navigate opportunities, challenges and periods of significant change while positioning it for the future.”
No successor to Phelps has been named and in a statement announcing Phelps planned departure, NASCAR said, “there are no immediate plans to replace the Commissioner role or to seek outside leadership as the administration of his responsibilities will be delegated internally through NASCAR’s President and executive leadership team.”
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