"Transfer requires NASCAR approval": Insider makes opinion clear on SHR charters' fate amid 23XI-FRM court tussle

NASCAR on FOX reporter Bob Pockrass cleared up any confusion on whether or not 23XI Racing or Front Row Motorsports could accept a charter transfer from Stewart-Haas Racing. The racing insider said the charter transfer must be approved by NASCAR.

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed a lawsuit against NASCAR and its CEO Jim France after not reaching a charter agreement ahead of 2025. In the suit, the teams accuse NASCAR of monopolization and violating the Sherman Antitrust Act. The teams later filed an injunction to retain their charters in order to continue competing in the Cup Series until the case reached a decision.

Stewart-Haas Racing is shutting down at the end of the 2024 season, leaving four of its charters up for grasp. One will go to Haas Factory Team, a one-car team led by Gene Haas, who co-owned SHR with Tony Stewart.

A fan took to X to ask Pockrass to help them understand how the transfer works. The user asked if there would be only 29 chartered teams in 2025 if 23XI and Front Row were unable to get an SHR charter. Pockrass responded by saying:

"SHR currently signed for 4 charters. Trackhouse to get one. 23XI & FRM have agreements to purchase one apiece. Transfer requires NASCAR approval. Whether approval is granted TBD so status of those TBD. 36 or 32 or 30 charters on-track TBD (all pending court decision)."

NASCAR called for the lawsuit against it to be rejected in a 22-page statement. Part of it read:

"Plaintiffs have filed a meritless suit against NASCAR alleging baseless antitrust claims in order to obtain commercial agreements they previously rejected, and to attempt to extort more favorable contract terms," the statement read (via NBC).

Fans accuse NASCAR of being biased against Bubba Wallace at the Charlotte Roval due to 23XI Racing's lawsuit

In the minds of some fans, the off-track legal battle carried over on the racetrack in last Sunday's Cup Series race at the Charlotte Roval. Fans accused the sport of showing bias against Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 23XI Racing Toyota, when given a penalty in the 109-lap event.

Midway through stage one of last Sunday's event, Wallace was penalized for short-cutting the frontstretch chicane. Because of this, the Alabama native had to come to a complete stop on the track briefly before returning to the race as a penalty.

William Byron, driver of the #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, appeared to make the same infraction, but wasn't penalized. This sparked displeasure from race fans on social media. When racing insider Jeff Gluck questioned why Byron wasn't penalized but Wallace was, one wrote:

"One team sued NASCAR, the other didn’t."

"Which one has a pending lawsuit?" said another.

Wallace went on to finish ninth in the race while Byron earned third place.