NASCAR have announced their decision to appeal the preliminary injunction that was granted to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports in a further lawsuit twist.
Both teams were granted a preliminary injunction on Wednesday to race as chartered teams in 2025, following an ongoing anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR.
FRM and 23XI Racing initially refused to sign the new charter deal, and filed a lawsuit against NASCAR for alleged 'monopolistic' practices.
The two teams were originally slated to compete as open teams in 2025, which would afford them less protections, but a judge has since ruled that they could enter as chartered teams next season whilst the lawsuit continues.
NASCAR appeal 23XI Racing and FRM injunction
Wednesday’s ruling also saw each team purchase a third charter from defunct NASCAR team Stewart-Haas Racing, where the courts also allowed each team to claim their third charter, and the transfer to go through.
However, NASCAR are asking the courts to delay injunction enforcement and the transfer of the two charters purchased, until their appeal can be heard and ruled on.
“NASCAR will suffer irreparable harm without a stay,” NASCAR stated in court documents.
“The Court’s decision forcing NASCAR to approve Plaintiffs’ SHR Charter transfers is not a ‘limited’ injunction for the 2025 Cup Series season.”
“Instead, it will effectively force NASCAR into a seven-to-fourteen year contractual relationship with Plaintiffs with respect to these Charters-even though Plaintiffs have not met multiple required conditions for these Charters’ assignment.”
“Moreover, it would be difficult, perhaps even impossible, to unwind these court-ordered transfers once they have occurred.”