IndyCar files a motion against NASCAR’s ‘burdensome & unnecessary’ demand

IndyCar has filed an appeal to block NASCAR’s attempt to obtain its financial records and depose Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles. This comes amid the ongoing legal battles, where 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have accused the NASCAR Cup Series of engaging in monopolistic behavior.

In 2024, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed a lawsuit against NASCAR and its CEO, James France, accusing them of hegemonically controlling the top-tier stock car racing. The teams argued that NASCAR’s use of charters, which secure race entry spots but limit participation in other racing series, was part of an illegal scheme to suppress competition.

NASCAR filed a countersuit in March, alleging that 23XI and Front Row had engaged in a coordinated effort to intimidate the organization through threats of boycotts and other coercive tactics, aiming to force changes in NASCAR’s policies.

To support its case, Front Row Motorsports has taken legal steps to access financial records from major professional sports organizations. It is actively pursuing litigation against IndyCar, the NHL, the NBA, and the NFL to obtain those documents. The team has already acquired financial data from Major League Baseball and recently reached a settlement with Liberty Media, the parent company of Formula 1.

On Wednesday, journalist Bob Pockrass shared the latest update about IndyCar filing a motion to distance itself from the controversy and keep Doug Boles from being deposed.

"INDYCAR has filed motion in federal court in Indiana to keep NASCAR from deposing Doug Boles in 23XI/FRM lawsuit. Deposition scheduled for Friday. INDYCAR argued it has provided 650 pages of documents, that NASCAR is competitor & deposing Boles is burdensome & unnecessary," Pockrass wrote.

Bob Pockrass

@bobpockrass

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INDYCAR has filed motion in federal court in Indiana to keep NASCAR from deposing Doug Boles in 23XI/FRM lawsuit. Deposition scheduled for Friday. INDYCAR argued it has provided 650 pages of documents, that NASCAR is competitor & deposing Boles is burdensome & unnecessary.

The next race is scheduled to be held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, on July 6.

IndyCar Road America TV Ratings drops, but the sport gains

NTT IndyCar Series XPEL Grand Prix at Road America - Source: Getty

The FOX broadcast of the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America saw the viewership dip below the one-million mark for the first time in four events, but the series still shows strong overall growth compared to the last season.

After FOX took over the broadcasting reins, the sport’s average audience has risen by 33% year-over-year, marking a significant upward trend for the premier American open-wheel racing series.

The June 22 race, which aired in the early afternoon, attracted 781,000 viewers, a 10% drop from the 2024 edition of the event, which drew 863,000. However, viewership peaked at 934,000 between 3:30 pm and 3:45 pm ET, showing continued interest during key parts of the broadcast.

The race broadcast peaked in Detroit on Sunday, June 1, delivering an average of 1.061 million viewers across the FOX network and FOX streaming services. This represented a 75% increase from the 2024 race broadcast, which aired on the USA Network.