NASCAR announce key rule change around 23XI lawsuit

NASCAR has altered its rulebook this week, providing a short-term boost to Front Row Motorsports and Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing.

The two teams, currently embroiled in a long legal battle with the league over the validity of its charter system, no longer appear in any danger of missing any races this year despite losing their charters.

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A new rule has been added to, 'at NASCAR's discretion', allow open teams to make the field of over-subscribed races based on owner standings. Not-so coincidentally, the number of open teams now eligible for spots based on owner standings? Six, the number of cars 23XI and FRM run in the Cup Series.

While this is a positive outcome for the teams on the face of things, journalist Bob Pockrass noted that part of their case in requesting a preliminary injunction allowing them to keep their charters until the December trial involved the 'irreparable harm' possibly dealt out if the teams aren't guaranteed a spot in each race. This new rule tweak appears to neatly side-step that.

Difficult to decide winners of Cup Series rule change

Another of the teams' concerns in the case is that without an injunction, NASCAR may attempt to sell their charters to other teams, which would leave them in a disastrous position for their long-term futures.

If – and it's a big 'if' – this rule change means the teams aren't granted their injunction and NASCAR end up allowed to sell their charters, a small positive for 2025 could turn into a massive negative for the teams going forward.

The Entry Requirements section of the NASCAR rule book now reads: “NASCAR, at its sole discretion, may elect to limit the number of entries for a race to 40. In such instances, Open Teams will be determined based on the Team Owner Point standings.”

Another section regarding eligibility for starting grid positions 1st-40th now reads: “Up to six Open Teams will be eligible for spots in the race based on the highest ranked in the owner standings.”

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