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Michael Jordan and NASCAR on Thursday settled a federal antitrust lawsuit that accused the racing league of being a “monopoly bully.” NASCAR agreed to make the bylaws, which are the core of its business model, permanent for Cup teams.
The dispute had dragged on for more than a year, as Jordan’s 23XI Racing team competed without a contract for much of that time. Now, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, the two plaintiffs, will get their charters back after racing in unknown venues for most of last season.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but an economist previously testified that 23XI and Front Row were owed more than $300 million in damages.
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23XI Racing co-owners Michael Jordan, center, and Curtis Polk, left, watch during qualifying alongside 23XI Racing President Steve Lauletta, right, for a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race on Nov. 9, 2024, in Avondale, Arizona. (AP Photo/John Locher)
“Today is a good day,” Jordan said.
The agreement came on the ninth day of a trial before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who postponed the motions hearing to a one-hour parallel session.
Front Row and 23XI filed their lawsuit last year after refusing to sign agreements over new charter bids NASCAR introduced in September 2024. Teams had until the end of one day to sign the 112-page document, which guarantees access to high-level Cup Series racing and a revenue stream, and 13 of 15 organizations reluctantly agreed. Jordan and Jenkins sued and ran most of the 2025 season without registering.
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23Xi team co-owner Michael Jordan with Denny Hamlin on pit road before qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 on June 24, 2023 at Nashville SuperSpeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Both teams said a loss in the case would have put them out of business.
“What all parties have always agreed upon is a deep love for the sport and a desire to see it reach its full potential,” NASCAR and the plaintiffs said in a joint statement. “This is a historic moment, ensuring NASCAR’s foundation is stronger, its future brighter and its possibilities greater.”
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23XI Racing co-owners Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan speak on the grid after the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 6, 2024, in Talladega, Alabama. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
All teams felt the previous revenue-sharing agreement was unfair, and more than two years of bitter negotiations led to NASCAR’s final offer, which was described by the teams as “take it or leave it.” The teams believed the new agreement lacked their four key demands and, most importantly, that the statutes be made permanent rather than renewable.
The agreement came after eight days of testimony during which the Florida-based France family, NASCAR’s founders and private owners, proved adamant about making the bylaws permanent.
