'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jimmie Johnson expressed his expectations from NASCAR while discussing the lawsuit between the sporting authority and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. Johnson hinted towards the revenue share that was discussed and stated that it was much lower than what the teams were expecting in the charter agreement.
Last year, NASCAR released the charter agreement for the 2025 season which also included the revenue share for teams with charters and other monetary benefits. There was, however, some disagreement betwen the teams and the authorities reportedly regarding the revenue share. As the teams were not signing the agreement, NASCAR gave them a deadline, and all but two teams complied.
Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin's 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports did not sign the new charter agreements and launched an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR, which Jimmie Johnson recently discussed on the Business of Sport podcast.
Trending
"The way we were, the ownership group, was asked to sign the the contract on a particular day at a particular time has sent this into an Anti-Trust lawsuit," Jimmie Johnson said (51:45 onwards).
Johnson further revealed that their initial expectation of the share would be around 50%, however, NASCAR turned that down every time the teams tried to negotiate, and brought it down to 29.5%.
"Nobody's going to willingly just give up large sums of money," Johnson added (52:44 onwards). "There was a process and we had higher expectations thought we were going to be more around the 50% mark and then as the negotiations continued on, seemed like every time the teams negotiated with NASCAR, there was less offered. We negotiated our way down from around 50% to 29 and a half."
The charter agreement allows teams to run their cars in all the races throughout the season which also helps them to get more sponsors. Moreover, it also allocated a certain revenue share that NASCAR earns from the media, which has been in conflict recently.
"They just keep delaying the process": Jimmie Johnson comments on developments in the NASCAR-23XI, FRM lawsuit
An important aim for both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports shortly after filing the lawsuit was to make sure that they could race as chartered teams in the 2025 season as well. Considering they hadn't signed the agreement, it was a tough feat. However, the US District court allowed their primary injunction, which also allowed them to purchase charters from Stewart-Haas Racing, which ceased operations after the end of the 2024 season.
Jimmie Johnson, commenting on the recent developments in the case, mentioned that the entire process is being delayed.
"So far, the argument over if they can compete under the charter has occupied probably eight months in time and one ruling is in favor of the teams the next one's in favor of NASCAR and then it's back to the teams. They just keep delaying the process or the litigation that still needs to take place," Jimmie Johnson said (54:41 onwards).
Both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are running in the Cup Series, fielding three cars each after finalizing their purchases from Stewart-Haas Racing earlier.
