As the NASCAR trial goes through its second week, eye-opening testimonies are unfolding. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ witnesses have so far created a stir in the courtroom, revealing figures of severe economic loss to teams and team owners. NASCAR, in its part, roped in the big guns like CEO Jim France to the stand. Their second high-profile witness, however, was unable to attend.

NASCAR trial loses a trump card

“After the jury dismissed for lunch, Judge Bell oversaw a dispute between Jeffrey Kessler (teams) and Chris Yates (NASCAR.) Yates wanted to introduce testimony from FOX Sports’ Jordan Bazant that showed a competitor series would hurt NASCAR. Judge Bell wasn’t sure that needed to be presented to the jury because it’s not additive to the dispute at hand. Judge Bell also says that if there was a competitor series in this hypothetical, the teams would be in it, and not NASCAR. So he ruled against allowing it,” Journalist Matt Weaver wrote on X.

NASCAR wished to rope in the testimony of FOX Sports, the media giant associated with the sport for over two decades. According to NASCAR attorney Lawrence Buterman, chartered teams also get money from FOX – hence, teams are also hurt alongside the sport. However, Judge Kenneth D. Bell still dismissed the witness for the NASCAR trial, claiming that FOX may pay NASCAR less if a rival series springs up. He logged NASCAR’s motion for an appeal to the Fourth Circuit of Appeals in Richmond.

This comes as a significant development after CEO Jim France’s stolid appearance in the witness stand. The topmost NASCAR executive was like a “brick wall,” according to a few journalists. refusing to divulge much information as attorney Jeffrey Kessler grilled him. Contrary to the jaw-dropping evidence that Michael Jordan and Co.’s witnesses brought out, France’s testimony likely did not strike a deeper chord.

With NASCAR’s latest witness dismissed, the matter may get more intense. Stay tuned for more updates!