23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports take shot at NASCAR in new court filing

The tandem of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports took a pointed shot at NASCAR during their latest court filing, per FOX’s Bob Pockrass.

The opening line of their brief opposing NASCAR’s emergency motion that would delay transfer of their charters from Stewart-Haas Racing featured some venom, as Pockrass shared it to X: “When a litigant does not have either the law or the facts on its side, it will pound the table,” the opening line read. “But Defendants’ pounding has become tired, familiar, and shrill.”

As you can tell, the shot is the latest chapter in the drama between the two teams fighting against the latest charter agreement, and the sport’s governing body trying to coerce them to fall in line. 23XI and FRM have been willing to do battle, and while they have every intention on continuing their operations, it’s certainly made their respective futures in the sport murky.

Moving forward, Judge Kenneth Bell has set multiple dates on the docket regarding the NASCAR lawsuit, from deadlines to respond to a possible trial date. It appears that things are moving quicker, but the end isn’t exactly in sight. 

The lawsuit has gone through a few back-and-forths between the Defendants and Plaintiffs. Last week, the court partially granted a motion to stay part of the preliminary injunction that was granted previously.

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports will face NASCAR in a hearing on January 8, 2025, regarding the motion to dismiss as well as other motions in the case. Discovery has a deadline of September 19, 2025. 

If there is no settlement reached between the parties, a trial could begin on December 1, 2025. Going the long haul, the lawsuit would last the entirety of the 2025 NASCAR schedule. In the event of a trial, there is a deadline for that as well. The court is seeking to complete the trial before the 2026 Cup Series season.

Time will tell what the result of the lawsuit ends up being, and if it’s NASCAR or 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports celebrating at the end of it all. Regardless, both sides aren’t going away quietly, and it’s evident we’re not exactly in the final stage at the moment.

On3’s Jonathan Howard contributed to this article.