"Such a weak argument": Fans react to 23XI-FRM's summary judgment filing in NASCAR market fight

The legal battle between 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and NASCAR took another step this week, as the teams filed a motion for partial summary judgment in their antitrust lawsuit. The filing, made in federal court, asked the judge to define the relevant market as 'premier stock car racing' and to rule that the league holds dominant power in that market because of high barriers to entry.

The case has been dragging through the courts since October 2024, when the two organizations sued NASCAR and chairman Jim France, claiming that the sanctioning body’s handling of charters violated antitrust laws. Since then, the fight has gone through injunctions, appeals, and discovery disputes, with the December 2025 trial date looming large.

Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass reported that the latest filing centers on market definition, a crucial step in antitrust law. He wrote on X:

"23XI/FRM filed its motion for partial summary judgment last night asking the judge to rule on defining the market as "premier stock car racing "and that NASCAR has power over that market b/c it has dominant market share in a market characterized by high barriers to entry."

NASCAR argued that the market should be broader, including other forms of racing and sports entertainment. However, the teams contend that there’s no true alternative for those who want to participate in the elite level of stock car racing.

Fans reacted to the new filing, with many being unconvinced by the team’s argument. One fan summed up the mood and wrote:

"Such a weak argument. Who’s competing against the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL? Legitimately competing, not just surviving"

dom

@wwu1100

@bobpockrass Such a weak argument. Who’s competing against the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL? Legitimately competing, not just surviving.

Other fans echoed that thought:

Scott Shinbaum

@Scoots71

That’s like saying Apple has a monopoly on the cell phone market because the market is “phones that use the iOS system.”

Chris

@LGNYR30

But here is the thing. There is nothing that requires you to be involved NASCAR. This is a dangerous standard to set. Can minor league baseball teams sue MLB for not letting them play in the MLB?

Mostly, fans voiced frustration with the entire legal standoff.

Janeen Welsh

@janeen_welsh

I think the vast majority of us have reached the point of not caring anymore what the initial disagreement was about, viewing it now as a spoiled child making their parents' life miserable. They're starting to sound like Carlie Brown's teacher, "wha wha wha wha."

Storm

@Dale_Thomasa48

I'm over the lawsuit already. And it is still over a year from being figured out in court

For now, much of the fanbase seems tired of the off-track sparring and is simply waiting for December 1, when the case is scheduled to be resolved in court.

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What is the 'market' definition at the center of the NASCAR lawsuit

(L-R) Roger Penske, Kyle Larson, and Rick Hendrick before the 2023 Verizon 200. Source: Imagn

At the heart of this fight is how the market is defined under antitrust law. In October 2024, NASCAR countered that Cup Series racing cannot be treated as its own market. The sanctioning body pointed to other forms of racing and even other entertainment options as part of the broader competitive landscape.

They have also argued that exclusivity provisions, such as charters, exist across professional sports and make the product stronger for fans, sponsors, and broadcasters. Judge Kenneth Bell’s rulings in December 2024 and January 2025 signaled that he was open to the teams’ argument, at least for the injunction stage.

By March, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports pressed the case that Cup racing is indeed its own market, stating that for anyone seeking to compete at the highest level of stock cars, NASCAR is the only avenue. NASCAR pushed back, warning that the teams’ definition was too narrow and that contracts across motorsports and sports prove the system is not anti-competitive.

The dispute remains unresolved, but for 2025, the court has ensured that 23XI and FRM remain in the Cup field with guaranteed starting spots, even though their charter status is contested. With summary judgment motions now filed, the market question will either be decided by the judge or left for the jury when the trial begins in December.