NASCAR sues Jordan's 23XI, Front Row; calls teams 'illegal cartel'

The dispute between NASCAR and a pair of racing teams is getting uglier, with NASCAR filing a countersuit against Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.

The teams sued NASCAR in October, accusing the governing body of restraining fair competition and violating the Sherman Antitrust Act in relation to charter agreements.

Now, multiple outlets reported Wednesday that NASCAR is striking back.

NASCAR's countersuit is against Front Row Motorsports, 23XI Racing and Curtis Polk, a Jordan adviser who co-owns the team. NASCAR claims in its lawsuit, as reported by The Athletic, that Polk orchestrated "a scheme to pressure NASCAR to accept their collusive terms, including by engaging in media campaigns, interfering with NASCAR's broadcast agreement negotiations, threatening boycotts of NASCAR events and engaging in a group boycott of a NASCAR Team Owner Council Meeting."

NASCAR said the teams represent "an illegal cartel."

Representatives for Polk and the race teams did not return requests for comment from The Athletic.

The dispute stems from negotiations between NASCAR and 15 teams over extending the contract for the charter system, which gives teams specific financial guarantees and starting positions in every NASCAR Cup Series race.

In the lawsuit, NASCAR said it made its final offer that would have given teams record money, but 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports did not sign. Still, the teams are competing in the Cup Series under a court order while the lawsuit is pending.

In the countersuit, NASCAR is seeking damages and also asking for 23XI and Front Row Motorsports to lose their guaranteed starting positions while litigation proceeds.

23XI Racing, also co-owned by Denny Hamlin, races Toyotas driven by Riley Herbst, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace.

Front Row Motorsports, under owner Bob Jenkins, owns Fords piloted by Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson and Zane Smith.

After three races in the season, Reddick is third and Wallace sixth in the driver points standings.

--Field Level Media