As the year-end comes closer, the battle between NASCAR and Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing will only intensify. The primary objective for Jordan and his team is to get their chartered status before the end of the year. Meanwhile, NASCAR hopes the injunction appeal goes in their favor, forcing both 23XI Racing and FRM to the field and open teams in 2025.

And this is where Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin made their first move as they re-filed for the preliminary injunction, with the hopes of the hearing being expedited. “23XI and FRM have re-filed their motion for a preliminary injunction. The “new circumstances” section is mostly redacted. They indicate they have three weeks to decide whether to close on the SHR charter purchase, and certain sponsors want assurances on sponsoring a chartered car.” Bob Pockrass from FOX Sports shared this update on X.

However, NASCAR is trying it’s hard to delay the hearing as long as they can. Initially, the teams wanted the hearing on December 10, while NASCAR argued to be pushed to the 11th. But the dates have been pushed further with NASCAR playing hardball, and they’ve now accused 23XI and FRM of orchestrating the urgency in proving irreparable harm with their two SHR charters. Teams will need to sign sponsorship deals, lock in drivers, and prepare for the next year, and they can’t assure their partners anything without the injunction.

The irony in this case is that NASCAR used similar tactics in strong-arming teams to sign the charter deal before the playoffs started, as Richard Childress explained. NASCAR even threatened the teams into sign the new deal with a take-it-or-leave-it proposal, and the fear of losing out on charter was enough to get 13 team owners to fall in line. While 23XI Racing and FRM stood their ground and are now challenging NASCAR in the court.

Fans were able to see how NASCAR flipped the script when they were up against the odds, and they were quick to highlight their hypocrisy with comments on social media.

NASCAR doesn’t like to be on the receiving end of its own shrewd tactics

After negotiating for almost 2 years, NASCAR’s patience grew thin, and they wanted to get things done, by hook or by crook. There were no negotiations, only a deadline of Friday night, September 5, to get the deal done. Now, there was a clear indication that NASCAR would take over their charter if teams didn’t fall in line. And without enough time to evaluate the lengthy contract, the team had to sign the charter agreement, going against their wishes. But, now that 23XI Racing is looking to swing the momentum in their favor, NASCAR is accusing them of manufacturing urgency. Well, this fan certainly wasn’t sold on NASCAR’s tactics and replied, “Didn’t nascar create “orchestrated urgency” with the deadline for teams to sign?”

“6:37 is when it came in, and we had to sign by 12:00, or we lose our charters. I didn’t have a choice because we had to sign.” This was veteran team owner Richard Childress sharing his thoughts with Bob Pockrass. Now had he opted for the defiance stance like Michael Jordan and Hamlin, he could’ve risked the future of 400 employees working at RCR. Not to forget, the OEM contracts, sponsors, and other partners associated with the teams could also feel the wrath of such a move. Although 23XI Racing is only giving NASCAR a taste of its own medicine, their response has left fans baffled. “According to RC they were given the charter agreement at 6:37pm and told if they didn’t sign it by midnight that night they risked losing their charters.”

There is a possibility that 23XI Racing and FRM can get an injunction in their favor. The argument they can put up in court is uncertainty over their charters and the financial hit they would incur running as open teams. Seeing this change in momentum, this race fan took a jab at NASCAR with this comment, “I still don’t feel bad for NASCAR about being butt hurt over deadlines considering they gave the teams less than eight hours to sign an entire charter agreement. They’re just mad that they don’t have a control right now.”

Even the mighty Rick Hendrick couldn’t withstand the backlash his team could face in trying to go against NASCAR. “I was just tired.” He did highlight that the negotiations that stretched for over 2 years were indeed taxing on the teams, whether he liked it or not, and they had to sign up for the new charter agreement. However, now that the roles are reversed with the two teams trying to fight for their survival, NASCAR has labeled this request as “Orchestrated urgency,” which hasn’t gone down well with the fans. “Orchestrated urgency. Oh, you mean like sending a charter agreement to teams at 6pm and forcing them to sign by midnight? That kind of orchestrated urgency?”

Well, for this fan, this was the classic case of a payback by the team to NASCAR. Given that NASCAR is reluctant to face off the teams in the court, it could be a sign that both 23XI Racing and FRM might be in the ascending. Pulling no punches against NASCAR, another fan added, “What goes around, comes around.” 

What is your take on this ongoing tussle between NASCAR and 23XI Racing? Do let us know in the comments.