Michael Jordan's NASCAR legal battle threatens to run into 2026

Michael Jordan and NASCAR have been embroiled in a bitter legal battle for almost a year now, and it appears there's a chance it could go on for a little while yet.

Jordan's 23XI Racing team, along with Front Row Motorsports, sued the stock car racing series in October 2024, alleging anticompetitive and monopolistic practices.

After going back and forth on several key issues over the last 11 months, that original lawsuit is set to be heard in court in December, but after 23XI's latest legal filing this weekend, there's a chance that NASCAR's countersuit against the teams and some of their personnel could linger on into 2026.

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What is the latest update in 23XI/NASCAR lawsuit?

The latest update on the ongoing legal battle emerged late on Saturday night, with 23XI and FRM having filed a summary judgment motion regarding NASCAR's counterclaim that they illegally colluded with their Cup Series rivals to extract better terms in the charter agreement.

Breaking down the legal jargon, essentially, in filing for a summary judgment, 23XI and FRM are asking the court to decide on NASCAR's counterclaim against them without the need for a full trial.

This is a legal tool typically used when one party involved in a lawsuit believes that they are entitled to a judgment as a matter of law due to the fact that there is no relevant evidence to support the opposing party's claim against them.

As per Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass, one part of the 23XI/FRM filing read: "The joint negotiations NASCAR voluntarily agreed to - without any restriction on individual negotiations, and without any 'boycott' of NASCAR events - did not restrain trade as a matter of law."

Interestingly, if a summary judgment is not granted, 23XI and FRM want the countersuit to be heard as a second, separate trial in 2026, meaning the legal battle could spill over into next season.

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What happens next?

As with any summary judgment motion, NASCAR will now have the chance to respond to 23XI and FRM's filings, which they have until October 3rd to do.

In their response, NASCAR must show that there is genuine evidence to prove their claims, or a 'genuine dispute of material fact', and convince the court that the case is not as clear-cut as 23XI and FRM are arguing, and that there is justification for a more prolonged trial.

The original 23XI/FRM lawsuit against NASCAR is set to be heard in court on December 1.

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