23XI and Front Row to compete as open NASCAR Cup teams
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two NASCAR Cup Series teams will race as open teams after a ruling in their lawsuit against the sanctioning body Thursday.
Judge Kenneth Bell denied a temporary restraining order 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports sought to protect their charter rights. As a result, the two teams’ six cars will race as open teams July 20 at Dover Motor Speedway and July 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Fearing NASCAR selling their charters after Wednesday, the teams filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and a new injunction. They sought the TRO while the court hears a new injunction based on what the teams describe as new evidence discovered since December.
In response to the teams’ motion for the TRO and the new injunction, NASCAR stated they wouldn’t sell their charters until after the new injunction ruling. They also stated teams would be able to qualify for every race in the 14-day-span the order would cover — a concern teams had with not racing chartered.
Judge Bell sided with NASCAR’s points in striking down the TRO. Bell wrote the teams “failed to sufficiently establish irreparable harm” to support the need for a TRO. He also wrote the teams didn’t provide sufficient evidence they could lose their sponsors and drivers before a ruling on the new injunction.
While Thursday’s decision means the teams won’t race as chartered teams and won’t earn as much money from racing at Dover and Indy, at least, they could still get their chartered rights back if the judge grants them the new injunction.
On his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, Denny Hamlin affirmed 23XI Racing will finish out the year no matter what. At this point, 23XI and FRM are focused on the ramifications the lawsuit may have on the 2026 season — based on the new motion for an injunction.
“Even if Plaintiffs prevail at trial, they would be left in the untenable position of scrambling for sponsors with just a few months before the 2026 season—after other teams have already locked in the top sponsors,” the team’s attorneys wrote.
NASCAR statement on the teams’ motion for a new injunction
“It is unfortunate that instead of respecting the clear rulings of the Fourth Circuit, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are now burdening the District Court with a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction.
As both the Fourth Circuit and the District Court suggested, NASCAR has made multiple requests to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to present a proposal to resolve this litigation. We have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row, as they have instead preferred to continue their damaging and distracting lawsuit.
We will defend NASCAR’s integrity from this baseless lawsuit forced upon the sport that threatens to divide the stakeholders committed to serving race fans everywhere. And we remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.”
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com