Michael Jordan sues NASCAR but is dealt major legal blow just 2 days before his driver competes in Cup Series championship
Michael Jordan's racing team was dealt a painful blow by a United States district judge who denied his team's request for an injunction just before the culmination of the 2024 NASCAR season.Jordan, who co-owns 23XI Racing with three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, was joined by Front Row Motorsports in a suit against NASCAR and its chairman. The lawsuit claimed NASCAR gave all Cup Series teams a last-minute offer in September; but both teams refused to sign the offer on antitrust grounds.Judge Whitney summarized much of the claims by the racing teams as being speculative and not definitive.As reported by the New York Post, the racing team owners claimed NASCAR's charter system limits competition by binding teams to the series, its tracks, and suppliers in an unfair manner.The lawsuit said Chairman Jim France and NASCAR are "monopolistic bullies."The teams wanted the court to grant an injunction that would release them from a clause in the NASCAR charter that prevents them from suing its sanctioning body. However, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney ruled mid-day Friday that the two racing teams did not meet the burden required to be granted the injunction.The injunction would have allowed the teams to compete as usual (as chartered teams) while still suing NASCAR. Instead, they may now have to compete as "open" teams, which does not guarantee them a spot in NASCAR races and limits their revenue. This could cause drivers and sponsors to leave the teams because they are not privy to those guarantees.As reported by NBC Sports, the judge decided that the plaintiffs did prove they would suffer "irreparable harm if the injunction is not granted."Judge Whitney summarized much of the claims by the racing teams as being speculative and not definitive."Although Plaintiffs have alleged that they will face a risk of irreparable harm, they have not sufficiently alleged present, immediate, urgent irreparable harm, but rather only speculative, possible harm," the judge wrote.The judge also noted that the teams "alleged a possibility" that they will lose sponsorship agreements, citing that this wording is "too speculative."The judge further wrote that the teams only "allege that their drivers may leave if Plaintiffs compete as open teams.""Presently, this harm is too speculative to merit a preliminary injunction."The judge went on, "Plaintiffs have not alleged that their business cannot survive without a preliminary injunction. Instead, they allege that their businesses may not survive without a preliminary injunction."The ruling went on similarly about "potential" losses and future business losses being "merely speculative.""As such, this speculative harm does not warrant the extraordinary relief of a preliminary injunction," he concluded. The ruling comes just two days before the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in Phoenix on Sunday.Four drivers are headed into the final race in a tie for first place in the Cup Series standings; one of whom is the No. 45 car driven by Tyler Reddick for Jordan's 23XI team.23XI's other driver, No. 23 Bubba Wallace, is in 18th place. Both drive Toyotas.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Michael Jordan's racing team was dealt a painful blow by a United States district judge who denied his team's request for an injunction just before the culmination of the 2024 NASCAR season.
Jordan, who co-owns 23XI Racing with three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, was joined by Front Row Motorsports in a suit against NASCAR and its chairman. The lawsuit claimed NASCAR gave all Cup Series teams a last-minute offer in September; but both teams refused to sign the offer on antitrust grounds.
Judge Whitney summarized much of the claims by the racing teams as being speculative and not definitive.
As reported by the New York Post, the racing team owners claimed NASCAR's charter system limits competition by binding teams to the series, its tracks, and suppliers in an unfair manner.
The lawsuit said Chairman Jim France and NASCAR are "monopolistic bullies."
The teams wanted the court to grant an injunction that would release them from a clause in the NASCAR charter that prevents them from suing its sanctioning body. However, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney ruled mid-day Friday that the two racing teams did not meet the burden required to be granted the injunction.
The injunction would have allowed the teams to compete as usual (as chartered teams) while still suing NASCAR. Instead, they may now have to compete as "open" teams, which does not guarantee them a spot in NASCAR races and limits their revenue. This could cause drivers and sponsors to leave the teams because they are not privy to those guarantees.
As reported by NBC Sports, the judge decided that the plaintiffs did prove they would suffer "irreparable harm if the injunction is not granted."
Judge Whitney summarized much of the claims by the racing teams as being speculative and not definitive.
"Although Plaintiffs have alleged that they will face a risk of irreparable harm, they have not sufficiently alleged present, immediate, urgent irreparable harm, but rather only speculative, possible harm," the judge wrote.
The judge also noted that the teams "alleged a possibility" that they will lose sponsorship agreements, citing that this wording is "too speculative."
The judge further wrote that the teams only "allege that their drivers may leave if Plaintiffs compete as open teams."
"Presently, this harm is too speculative to merit a preliminary injunction."
The judge went on, "Plaintiffs have not alleged that their business cannot survive without a preliminary injunction. Instead, they allege that their businesses may not survive without a preliminary injunction."
The ruling went on similarly about "potential" losses and future business losses being "merely speculative."
"As such, this speculative harm does not warrant the extraordinary relief of a preliminary injunction," he concluded.
The ruling comes just two days before the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in Phoenix on Sunday.
Four drivers are headed into the final race in a tie for first place in the Cup Series standings; one of whom is the No. 45 car driven by Tyler Reddick for Jordan's 23XI team.
23XI's other driver, No. 23 Bubba Wallace, is in 18th place. Both drive Toyotas.
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Originally Published at Daily Wire, World Net Daily, or The Blaze
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