There is no secret to the NASCAR lawsuit. Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, along with Front Row Motorsports, had sued the sport for ‘monopolistic’ practices in the charter system. The legal battle had been raging since October 2024, with several exchanges of blows. Now, however, things seem to be clearing up with the hope of resolution. On that note, things are also brighter for NASCAR in another lawsuit.

Three years ago, the sanctioning body was sued by a cryptocurrency brand in a $76 million case. The sport’s rejection of the brand’s sponsorship of Brandon Brown’s Xfinity Series car apparently deflated the digital currency’s value. But like NASCAR, the court has no sympathy for it.

One legal battle ends happily for NASCAR

Soon after Brandon Brown won his first NASCAR race in Talladega in October 2021, he fell into a cultural war. An NBC Sports reporter incorrectly interpreted a political slogan as ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ – and those three words became more popular than Dale Earnhardt or Richard Petty slogans. Right-wing NASCAR fans used the wrong slogan for merchandise, souvenirs, and political campaigns. What is more, a cryptocurrency brand emerged, called the LGBCoin. But as soon as Brown accepted that brand’s sponsorship, NASCAR rejected its legitimacy. Then, LGBCoin launched a lawsuit, which went on for three years.

Now, that story has reached its climax. The lawsuit went to trial in September and was overlooked due to two other cases – the 23XI/FRM one and the Legacy Motor Club one. While those battles are seeking resolution, NASCAR achieved a definite victory in the LGBCoin case. Law360 posted the update on X: “A Miami jury returned a defense verdict late Monday in favor of NASCAR in a $76 million suit by the LetsGoBrandon Foundation accusing the league of destroying the value of its cryptocurrency LGBCoin after it revoked approval of a sponsorship of a racing team.”

This marked the end of a long, drawn-out battle between the two parties. Although the case has lost its relevance for Brandon Brown and his Xfinity Series team, Brandonbilt Motorsports. Brandonbilt ultimately raced the full 2022 season, but without LGBCoin on the car. And Brown would only pilot the No. 68 in 23 of the Series’ 33 races. Austin Dillon and Kris Wright took his place for the other 10 races. The three drivers finished no better than Brown’s third-place finish at New Hampshire. The team has not entered another race since the 2022 season finale.

Evidently, NASCAR can now breathe easy in one legal battle. Meanwhile, however, the sport is again locking horns with two Cup Series teams in a prolonged case.

Flames of disagreement are rising again

After Federal Judge Kenneth Bell warned in August that the charter system could be uprooted, alarm bells rang through the NASCAR garage. Nine team owners came forward recently, calling for a settlement of the lawsuit that Michael Jordan and Co. filed in October 2024. The main crux of the issue was NASCAR’s alleged ‘monopolistic practices’ in terms of charters and other factors in the sport. And both NASCAR and Jordan’s faction expressed a willingness to resolve. Now, however, they have hit another roadblock.

NASCAR has asked the court to appoint an independent judge to mediate the antitrust suit. But both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports pushed back, as they want to continue working with mediator Jeffrey Mishkin, the former executive vice president and chief legal officer of the NBA, who has been negotiating between the two sides this year.

“Mr. Mishkin has invested a great deal of time learning this case and meeting with the parties,” 23XI and Front Row said in the filing. “Plaintiffs have thus requested that NASCAR continue to engage with them via Mr. Mishkin or to make a settlement offer directly to Plaintiffs’ counsel, but NASCAR has not responded to those requests and instead filed this motion. It seems NASCAR is not happy with the diagnosis and wants to seek a second opinion.”

Clearly, it will take some time before things cool off between NASCAR and Michael Jordan and Co. As the sport basks in its recent legal success, let’s see how it fares in its other courtroom battles.