Nothing can stop the trial from happening. Since 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed their lawsuit against NASCAR last year, both sides have gone toe-to-toe in what has felt like a no-holds-barred fight. NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi offered a glimmer of hope last week, noting, “I believe that they will eventually be a settlement reached.” But with the clock ticking, the possibility of a deal is slipping away… and here we have another insider playing devil’s advocate.

Speaking to Sky View Sports’ Roy J. Akers, Bob Pockrass kept his answer simple and neat.

“Well. You never know. I think the trial definitely will start. I don’t envision a settlement before Monday,” Pockrass said with much confidence. “During a trial, there are possibilities for a settlement. It kind of depends on how things go. I think more likely a settlement would come if the 23XI and Front Row win the trial than at some point during the appeal process.”

But if history has proven anything, it’s that a settlement hasn’t been the answer.

A few months ago, NASCAR and the two teams first attempted mediation overseen by former NBA chief legal officer Jeffrey A. Mishkin, but that effort ended without resolution.

Then, in early October, NASCAR formally requested a court-mandated settlement conference, which the presiding judge, Kenneth Bell, approved.

With NASCAR writing, “The parties’ readiness to resolve this matter, along with the interest of others in the sport and the court to see this case resolved, suggests a judicial settlement conference would be a meaningful way to facilitate settlement.”

Both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports had pushed back on the same procedural aspects but ultimately agreed to participate under the same mediator. On October 21, 2025, both sides met in the courthouse in Charlotte for what many saw as a final chance to resolve the dispute before trial.

Yet after two full days of negotiation under the supervision of Judge Bell, no agreement was reached, marking yet another breakdown in talks. Both parties left without comment, and the case is now set to proceed to a full jury trial scheduled for December 1.

But the lawsuit has its own implications.

“A settlement could come as they weigh whether NASCAR has to sell tracks or has to get rid of charters or make permanent charters or gets rid of the next-gen car,” Pockrass continued. “All those different options that the judges can decide, they potentially could then be kind of figured out by the teams in NASCAR while under appeal.”

If NASCAR loses the case, it is expected to appeal to protect its business structure and limit potential long-term fallout. Any ruling forcing changes to charter rights, track ownership, or supplier agreements could disrupt the sports operation.

An appeal would give NASCAR a chance to challenge these findings, buy time, and potentially avoid setting a binding precedent that could reassure how the organization governs its teams and competitions. The tide could turn in anyone’s favor.

But more than anything, 23XI Racing’s drivers’ futures are in jeopardy, and Pockrass laid down his verdict on any potential shift away from the team.

Will the lawsuit outcome influence Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick’s future?

Wallace and Reddick are caught in the middle of NASCAR’s biggest storm yet with the December trial looming. While the former may have shrugged it off, claiming he “genuinely don’t give a damn,” the uncertainty surrounding this is getting real.

“These things are pretty; they can switch on a dime,” Pockrass told Akers. “If they come out and if they didn’t win the lawsuit and they’re appealing and they’re not running well at the start of next season, you certainly could see some pretty quick changes.”

If the two teams lose the antitrust suit, the consequences will be severe. The teams could lose their charters, forcing Wallace and Reddick to qualify only on speed for every race, with no guaranteed starts, and affecting the financial stability and purse money that come with charter status.

Without charters, the team’s operations would become financially unsuitable, threatening driver contracts, sponsorships, and even the long-term survival of the teams themselves. A lot is at stake, and with less than a day left to the trial, all eyes will be drawn to the highly charged case.