Over the past few weeks, we got a glimpse of the future. Kyle Busch may have coped with a winless season, but his son Brexton Busch more than made up for his sadness. The 9-year-old speedster won a Golden Driller trophy in the Junior Sprint division of the Tulsa Shootout. Then, fellow Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson’s young one also did not disappoint – Owen Larson won a heat race after running from 8th. Back in November, Kevin Harvick’s son Keelan finished 8th in Florence. However, will there be room for them in the future?

NASCAR has come under scrutiny in recent years for several issues. But one thing stands out – it’s nonchalance towards the several demands that team owners have. Be it making charters permanent or getting a greater slice of the media revenue, owners are not satisfied – and a veteran racer dropped a warning accordingly.

Is NASCAR in the right direction?

The stock car racing series is facing probably the biggest lawsuit in its 76-year-old history. Michael Jordan and Bob Jenkins, the team owners of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, refused to sign the new charter deal in September. Subsequently, they risked their teams’ futures by filing a lawsuit – just to pave the way to security and opportunities for other teams in the sport. Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick’s sons may be giving us looks into the future. But the dire relationship between NASCAR and team owners may spell a bitter outcome – good team owners may leave the sport.

That is what two-time USAC champion and 4-time NASCAR Cup race winner Ken Schrader pointed out. Appearing in an interview conducted by Xfinity Series veteran Kenny Wallace, he first listened to his colleague showering appreciation for the young Busch and the young Harvick. “NASCAR’s in good shape. We have Kevin Harvick with his son Keelan. We have, obviously, Brexton Busch, who I’ve watched race in real… I did see something where somebody said, ‘Is Brexton winning because he’s got good equipment?’ … The point is, the kid can drive… You got Kyle Larson’s son Owen, we got Wyatt Miller… We’re looking pretty good, aren’t we?”

Then Ken Schrader chipped in with his opposite take on the topic. To him, finding talented drivers like Kyle Busch or Kevin Harvick’s children should hardly be the topmost priority. “Forget about every one of them. No I mean, that’s great, and they’re in the system. They got their foot in the door when the time comes. But there will be a thousand others – drivers are the easiest thing to get. And there’s good drivers.” Then Schrader highlighted the bitter reality of team owners clashing with NASCAR. “We just gotta keep enough car owners.”

NASCAR most recently saw a 16-year-old team, run by a 3-time Cup Series driver’s champion shut down due to lack of sponsorships. Stewart-Haas Racing, co-owned by the legendary Tony Stewart, announced they would close after the 2024 season in May last year. Tony Stewart didn’t hold back on his thoughts on the situation of the sport right now. “When I ran it I feel like I got in on a tail end of when it was the best. So, what they’re doing now, they’re doing what they’re doing for the reasons they’re doing it, but I don’t know that I agree with all of it,” he said in his appearance at Sullivan Old Town BBQ.

In fact, NASCAR has a poor reputation for manhandling its teams.

A history of draconian power

The NASCAR lawsuit presently has favored Michael Jordan and Co. Both 23XI and FRM have secured their charters for the 2025 season, and can address the main issue – quelling the sport’s ‘monopolistic practices.’ However, the France family’s enterprise has tackled several lawsuits in the past and rarely lost any of them. The first person who took a France family member to court was Hubert Westmoreland. He was the owner of the first Cup Series race winner in 1949 – who was disqualified shortly after. He sued for $10,000 – but a judge in North Carolina ruled that NASCAR has every right to enforce its rules, without even conducting a judicial survey of the post-race inspection.

Similar incidents have occurred over the past 76 years. According to an archive report by Autoweek, the issues were manifold. They include the death of a construction worker when the Chicago Street Race circuit was being built or a fan who received unsolicited texts. A businessman once filed a racial discrimination lawsuit claiming that NASCAR would not allow a diversity-centered race team. Such past instances paint a dire picture for the current lawsuit plaintiffs – Jordan and Jenkins. The task seems humongous especially because they are aiming to dismantle the France family’s strong legacy.

However, we will only know as the court proceedings move forward. If Michael Jordan and Co. are mildly successful, maybe Ken Schrader’s concerns will be wiped out.