“If plaintiffs prevail, NASCAR is going to look very different. And that’s a lot of uncertainty for everybody.” This is what US District Judge Kenneth Bell said about the NASCAR lawsuit in August. This warning sent ripples of alarm through a sport which, since 2016, has adapted itself well to a charter system. It has created more than $1.5 billion in equity value for its race teams; hence, the cost is clear to everybody.

The NASCAR lawsuit has been raging since October 2024, when 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign the new charter deal. Both legal parties have been on a rollercoaster ride of legal exchanges, but are now willing to opt for some peace.

An amicable climax for the NASCAR lawsuit?

Well, that is what nine of NASCAR’s 13 non-litigant charter teams desperately want. Representatives from these teams recently submitted signed declarations to be included in NASCAR’s summary judgment, filed a few days ago. The ‘Big Three’ team owners of Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs, and Roger Penske, as well as others like Brad Keselowski, pushed to see the NASCAR lawsuit resolved before the December 1 trial date. Judge Bell’s words clearly made an impact on them. If Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin could prove NASCAR’s ‘monopolistic practices,’ then the whole sport could drastically change.

The teams’ alarmed calls for peace have now reached the legal parties as well. Journalist Adam Stern updated NASCAR‘s intentions for peace on X. He wrote, “@NASCAR in a new court filing tonight has called for an order “directing the parties to participate in a judicial settlement conference to be convened by the Court and appointing a judicial officer, such as the magistrate judge … to preside over the settlement conference.” Among the warnings issued by Judge Bell were the possibilities of track sales and erasure of non-exclusivity and non-compete provisions.

Adam Stern further provided proof of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ willingness to resolve the NASCAR lawsuit. The post read, “Following the hearing, one of 23XI’s owners stated, ‘We’ve always been open to a settlement. Always have been.’ .. This is an area where the parties are actually in full agreement. NASCAR would also like to resolve this case prior to trial.” According to Bob Pockrass, “23XI/FRM want to continue using mediator, former NBA chief legal officer Jeffrey Mishkin, who already has presided over mediations/settlement talks in the case.”

Evidently, the courtroom battle is now nearing a much-awaited climax. And Denny Hamlin does have a reason to retain the current system of the sport.

Defending a god-level racer

Well, the 23XI Racing co-owner may be adamant about proving NASCAR’s malpractice in the courtroom. However, Denny Hamlin cannot deny the talented jewels that the sport has hosted. At the very top of that list, you can easily place Shane van Gisbergen. The Kiwi speedster has been on a trailblazing mission in 2025, as he picked up his fifth consecutive road course win at the Charlotte Roval. With this trophy, SVG is only one race away from matching Jeff Gordon’s record. The four-time Cup Series champion fetched six consecutive road course wins between 1999 and 2000.

However, while dealing with the NASCAR lawsuit, Denny Hamlin thinks something that may outrage diehard fans. He believes that Gordon is no match for SVG.

SVG’s 15-second margin at the checkered flag on Sunday does not have a precedent. Hamlin refuted Jordan Bianchi’s claims of SVG not matching up to Gordon: “Jordan Bianchi is absolutely out of his mind. Yeah, he’s on the short-list for the best NASCAR road racer ever. What is he talking about? Does he really think that Jeff Gordon, in his prime, would beat SVG today in a NextGen car? Not a chance. Not a remote chance.” He continued, “When it comes to turning left and right, they are not close, and SVG is the greatest road course NASCAR driver in history, and he’s only been doing it for a year and a half. It’s undisputed.”

As talented racers like SVG still make the sport popular, Denny Hamlin has a reason to resolve the NASCAR lawsuit. Let’s see if NASCAR and Michael Jordan’s faction can reach common ground.