Judge Rules Against NASCAR in โKey Area; Charters‘ Legality Questioned
CONCORD, NC – Novemberโ 5, 2025 โ – A federal judge has delivered a critically importent blowโฃ toโข NASCAR, ruling against the sanctioning body in a dispute concerning the release of revenue distribution facts to charter teams.The decision, handed down today, perhaps undermines theโ foundation of NASCAR’s current ownership model and could lead to a determination that the charter system โคitself is unlawful.
The case, brought by several NASCAR charter teams, centered on NASCAR’s refusal to fully disclose details regarding revenue generated from media deals โฃand othre sources. Teams argued this lack โof transparency prevented them from accurately assessing the fairness of revenue distribution โas outlined โin the Charterโฃ Agreement.โค Judge Richard Myers, of the โขU.S. District Court forโ the Western District of North Carolina, sided with the teams, ordering NASCAR to provide the requested financial data. More critically, the judge’s ruling questioned the legal standing of the charters,โ suggesting theyโฃ might potentially be considered unlawful restraints of trade under antitrust law.
The Charter Agreement, established in 2016, grants 36 โteams guaranteed starting positions in all NASCAR Cup Series races and a share of the โขseries’ revenue. It was intended toโฃ provide financial stabilityโฃ and long-term value for team โowners. Though, theโ judge’s decision casts doubt on the validity of the agreement, potentially opening the door for teams to challenge its core tenets and seek greater financial control.
“This ruling is a pivotal moment for NASCAR,” stated attorney John Smith, representing the plaintiff teams. “It’s not just about accessโค to financial information; it’sโ about the fundamental rightsโฃ of team owners and the fairness of the entire system.”
NASCAR officials have released a โstatement indicating they are reviewing the ruling and considering all available options,including an appeal. The sanctioning body maintainsโ the charter system is legally sound and benefits all stakeholders. โฃThe outcome of any potential appeal, or โคfurther legal challenges, will have far-reaching implications for the future of NASCAR’s ownershipโ structure and revenue distribution model. The โnext steps involve a โhearing scheduled for November 19, 2025, to discuss the scope of information NASCAR must โdiscloseโ and a timeline for โฃcompliance.