The 2024 NASCAR off-season has been anything but quiet, at least as far as Michael Jordan has been concerned. The former NBA star and Cup team co-owner recently filed a joint lawsuit against the sport, along with Front Row Motorsports. It all stemmed from their refusal to bow to NASCAR’s ultimatum, as they needed to buy charters. Now, there is a massive twist in the tale and it happens to be a huge betrayal.
Recently, Front Row Motorsports’ Jerry Freeze alleged that Steve Phelps made him a promise back in September. According to that promise, one of the outgoing SHR charters would be theirs for the taking.
However, it appears that NASCAR is going back on that promise by issuing an ultimatum. To be precise, the charter would be theirs if they dropped the lawsuit. Further backing that up, SHR’s Joe Custer filed an affidavit saying that NASCAR promised him that the 23XI and FRM transfers would be approved.
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NASCAR did something that earned 23XI Racing’s wrath
Things then took a turn for the worse when NASCAR decided to get personal. The organisation allegedly took a shot at 23XI Racing’s character. The allegation was that redacted driver emails indicated a coordinated effort by 23XI to manufacture proof of potential irreparable harm. A furious 23XI President Steve Lauletta declared, “This is completely false.” One thing is for sure, the situation is getting uglier and uglier by the day.
For the moment, the two teams are considered as non-chartered teams. They still have two months left to either strike a favorable deal with NASCAR or cave in to their demands. However, with the sport’s top brass now fighting dirty, any chance of an amicable solution may have just gone out the window. With the new media rights deal coming into effect from 2025 onwards, every team wants a piece of the pie.
And with the new media rights deal came the charter agreement for the coming year. All but two teams signed the deal, and the abstaining teams were 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. The lawsuit itself is an anti-trust lawsuit and it is a sign that Michael Jordan isn’t backing down. And the news isn’t just affecting His Airness.
Denny Hamlin was also furious about the whole situation
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Of course, it was only a matter of time before the other 23XI Racing owner reacted to the news. Interestingly, Hamlin decided to go Biblical in his approach, telling Bob Pockrass, “Luke 8:17.”
For the uninitiated, this is a verse in the Holy Bible that goes, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open”
While he hasn’t openly said it, the implications are crystal clear. Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing know that something unscrupulous is happening, and NASCAR is knee-deep in it. As such, they have self-appointed themselves as public avengers and are determined to expose the truth.
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One thing is for sure, this saga is going to drag on for a very long time. Whether this will affect the two organisations on the race track, is anyone’s guess.