SAD NEWS: First off, on June 5, 2025, a three-judge panel from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the preliminary injunction that had allowed 23XI Racing (co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin) and Front Row Motorsports to

First off, on June 5, 2025, a three-judge panel from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the preliminary injunction that had allowed 23XI Racing (co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin) and Front Row Motorsports to retain their NASCAR charters while suing over alleged antitrust violations . The judges determined the teams hadn’t shown they were likely to succeed in proving NASCAR’s contract terms were anticompetitive—particularly the clause preventing teams from suing NASCAR .

What this means: Without the injunction, NASCAR now may legally revoke their charters. That would reduce Jordan’s and Hamlin’s teams to “open” entries, forcing them to qualify by speed each week and reducing their potential earnings—charters carry tens of millions in guaranteed revenue.

Still, the lawsuit marches on, with a full trial set for December 1, 2025 . Jordan and Hamlin, backed by attorney Jeffrey Kessler, insist they’re undeterred and will appeal—arguing the appellate decision is narrow and does not affect their claims at tria.

Beyond this legal jab, NASCAR has also countered by accusing the teams of acting as a “cartel” to pressure for better charter terms . Meanwhile, 12 other Cup teams have pushed back hard, arguing that disclosing 11 years of financial records to NASCAR would be “catastrophic” to competition

Bottom line: Jordan’s lawsuit has hit a big legal roadblock—and the very valuable charters could be stripped away. But the core antitrust case remains alive, headed for a December showdown. Expect more court fireworks, possible appeals, and intense negotiations in the months ahead.