It’s been a bitter battle. Ever since 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports took NASCAR to court for “monopolistic practices”, the power struggle between the sanctioning body and its two ‘rogue teams’ has reached somewhat of a peak. The France family isn’t used to any form of ‘rebellion’, having ruled the sport with an iron fist over the years. However, watching the court case develop has been an entertaining affair for onlookers, in what can only be described as a ‘David vs Goliath’ battle.

According to former racer Michael Waltrip, the ongoing developments between NASCAR and its two teams are a “big deal.” In an EXCLUSIVE interview granted to EssentiallySports, the race commentator couldn’t help but say that the antitrust lawsuit simply distracts from on-track action.

Michael Waltrip is confident that a resolution will be reached

Michael Jordan isn’t used to backing down from a challenge. He’s often heard saying, “And I took it personally,” using any form of disrespect as a motivator to try even harder to get that victory. That winning mentality isn’t just limited to the action on the basketball court, as the NBA Hall of Famer has hired famed attorney Jeffrey Kessler to win the ongoing antitrust lawsuit. Few have traded punches with NASCAR and emerged victorious, and such a bold move could potentially change the sport forever.

But how much does it impact those who are not directly associated with the court proceedings? Not so much, it seems. In an EXCLUSIVE interview granted to EssentiallySports, Michael Waltrip candidly said, “It’s a big deal between Front Row Motorsports, 23XI, and NASCAR. I’m not taking away from the importance of the lawsuit. But to me, and I think for many of the race fans, it’s white noise. They’ll figure that out. There’s going to be fans in the grandstands every Sunday. It ain’t going to end NASCAR and it’s not going to end the team model.”

While Michael Waltrip, along with the rest of the NASCAR community, looks on, the court battle takes on new twists and turns every month. From Judge Frank Whitney being replaced by Kenneth Bell to the preliminary injunction being approved in its second attempt and NASCAR suing the plaintiffs, calling them an “illegal cartel,” there has been plenty of drama behind the scenes. But Waltrip said, “I care from the aspect that I want to see how it all turns out. But as far as enjoying a weekend of racing, it has nothing to do with it for me.”

Before last year’s race at Talladega Superspeedway, Michael Jordan, who appeared bullish about the court proceedings, said, “I wouldn’t have filed it if I didn’t think I could win.” While time will reveal if the former basketball star’s faith is misguided or not, former drivers such as Michael Waltrip, along with fans, can only look on from the sidelines as the case unfolds. This is something that co-owner Denny Hamlin is doing as well- just looking over the matter rather than getting involved.

“There’s nothing I need to do for the next few months while things continue to proceed. So, it’s a good time for me to focus on being a driver and trying to win as many races as I can,” Hamlin said. He is focusing on the Cup series, and that’s the best you can expect from a NASCAR driver. He has won races this season and is looking at the Championship races. With nine races already over, there’s plenty more action for fans to look forward to, and as long as the court drama doesn’t spill over the racetrack, it’s just background noise for others.

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23XI and Front Row drag Formula 1 into the lawsuit

Despite being two motorsports disciplines, it’s not often that the NASCAR world overlaps with Formula 1. However, it seems like 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports may need assistance from Liberty Media to prove that the sanctioning body engages in ‘monopolistic behavior.’ The plaintiffs have asked Formula 1 to disclose their confidential financial information, to get an idea of how the sport operates and compare that to NASCAR’s practices.

As things stand, 23XI and Front Row have asked for financial documentation from January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2024, ever since the charter system has been in place. The details they want include information such as broadcasting agreements, sponsorship contracts, tickets, and seat licensing sales, along with other data.

Both teams have also filed similar motions in the U.S. District Court of New York City to acquire financial information about the NBA, NHL, and NFL as well. However, things are not off to a great start, as Formula 1 has “refused to produce the requested information.” Naturally, the decision has not gone down well with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, as both teams went on to say that “F1 has no valid basis for its refusal,” even though the ‘yardstick comparison’ was a bold request to make.