Spire Motorsports’ co-owner Dan Towriss issues concern after new details on NASCAR’s legal case against 23XI and FRM emerge

Spire Motorsports co-owner Dan Towriss has recently raised his concerns about how NASCAR is handling its legal battle with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. Towriss pointed to contradictions between what NASCAR says in private meetings with teams and what has been revealed in court filings.

The news was first shared by motorsports reporter Jeff Gluck on his X account. Gluck posted a message from Towriss, directed at Associated Press writer Jenna Fryer, in which the Spire Motorsports co-owner questioned the difference between NASCAR’s private discussions with teams and the court documents. Gluck quoted Towriss, who said:

“What was released in that case is very inconsistent with what they (NASCAR) say privately. And so I need to understand, ‘Who am I dealing with? Is it the people we meet with privately, or is what you say when we’re not around?’”

Jeff Gluck

@jeff_gluck

Spire co-owner Dan Towriss to @JennaFryer: “What was released in that case is very inconsistent with what they (NASCAR) say privately. And so I need to understand, ‘Who am I dealing with? Is it the people we meet with privately, or is what you say when we’re not around?’”

Towriss made his comment after AP’s Jenna Fryer had earlier reported on Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin's NASCAR team, 23XI Racing, continuing its fight for charter status amid a lawsuit that has gripped the sport.

For context, 23XI Racing and FRM have filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The two teams are challenging how the charter system is managed, arguing that it unfairly blocks competition and undermines their place in the Cup Series.

Charters function like long-term licenses, giving guaranteed entry to races and larger payouts. Currently, 23XI and FRM are operating as 'open' teams after having their preliminary injunction overturned, which had temporarily reinstated their charters. NASCAR also wants the money that the two teams got while listed as chartered earlier this season, refunded.

Judge Kenneth Bell has warned that if no settlement is reached, the entire charter system could be at risk. NASCAR itself recently backed away from plans to redistribute charters while the case continues, but tensions are high as both sides prepare for a December 1 court date.

Towriss, who also has a stake in the Cadillac F1 and Andretti Global teams, has made it clear he wants NASCAR to find common ground with 23XI and FRM rather than push the fight further.

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23XI and FRM push NASCAR to commit during legal fight

The latest development in the ongoing case came on September 2, when 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports submitted a response to NASCAR. They are attempting to restore their chartered status for the remainder of the 2025 Cup Series season after being denied an injunction earlier.

According to Jeff Gluck, the teams offered to withdraw their motion for a preliminary injunction based on the fulfillment of certain conditions. These included asking NASCAR not to alter the rules for entry into races this season, not to transfer or sell any of the six charters in question until the lawsuit is resolved, and to agree that the teams own the disputed charters.

They also requested that NASCAR limit charter sales for 2026 to no more than four, which could leave room for their return if they win the case. Gluck summarized the filing on X, explaining that the teams felt they had,

“no choice other than to maintain their Motion for Preliminary Injunction”

This came after NASCAR refused to budge on its decision. The requests, if granted, would ensure both teams can compete without losing sponsors or breaching driver contracts while waiting for a court decision.

As Gluck noted in his reporting, neither NASCAR nor the two teams are backing down, which now forces the court to step in. He wrote,

“Again, not a lot of budging here. The judge didn’t want to have to rule on this, but both sides are putting him in a spot where he now has to.”

The dispute shows how much is at stake for everyone involved. For the teams, charter status protects their investments and security for drivers like Tyler Reddick, who has clauses in his contract tied directly to charter rights. For NASCAR, it’s more about maintaining control of its system and protecting the value of existing charters.