What’s Next for NASCAR after Judgement Day?

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NASCAR

Where Does NASCAR go after Antitrust Lawsuit Settlement?

The sun rose over a murky, cloud-filled Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday, December 12, 2025. This marked the first day after NASCAR’s antitrust lawsuit settlement with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. Temperatures may have been unseasonably low, but warmth began radiating throughout the stock car racing industry once again. The 2026 racing season now lies less than seven weeks away. Between now and the first green flag of the new year, where does NASCAR go in the short-term after this legal battle? Looking past that, what are some long-term goals and aspirations that NASCAR should strive for as a sport?

For starters, NASCAR has an immediate hurdle to clear in mending several key relationships. These hurt connections tie the sanctioning body to race teams, integral sponsors, and loyal fans. Through this trial’s exhaustive discovery process, many inappropriate private messages were made public. People from all three respective bases were painted in a bad light. Perhaps the most infamous messages were from Commissioner Steve Phelps talking about Richard Childress. The NASCAR executive had some harsh comments about the Hall of Fame car owner. Some of these messages including Phelps calling Childress an “idiot,” an “ass clown,” and that he should “be taken out back and flogged.” While on the stand as a witness, Phelps was apologetic for these texts. Phelps also reached out to Childress directly back in September to apologize for his language.

Other executives’ messages were revealed that placed fans in a negative stereotypical lens. NASCAR needs to immediately set out on a goodwill mission to win back the court of public opinion among diehard fans. Many of them have stuck with the sport for a long time and through many seminal changes. Hopefully time will heal these wounds and not leave permanent scars. Olive branches should be offered out from the sport to affected groups.

The most public repudiation of these comments came from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. The noted conservationist and longtime sponsor wrote a very detailed public letter defending his friend, Richard Childress. He shamed NASCAR brass for such careless choice of words in their texts. Morris also called for a radical change in NASCAR leadership, more on that later. Aside from the Cup Series’ premier partners, Bass Pro Shops is one of the few full-season sponsors remaining in NASCAR. As a result, Morris’ words carry a lot of weight across the garage area. His iconic logos are seen regularly on cars fielded by some of the most successful teams in Cup.

Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris: “… the commissioner’s recently revealed contempt for Richard Childress makes it abundantly clear that he and his lieutenants are not capable of being fair and objective when it comes to impartially enforcing the rules and regulations…” pic.twitter.com/ThoQ4BfwTx

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) December 11, 2025

Having NASCAR release the new championship points format could solve a few problems. Coming out with a revised points structure may conceivably be the easiest path forward to mending some of the fractured relationships between industry insiders and outsiders. Of course no format would be a cure-all perfect formula, and neither would any change make everyone happy. However, a blend of the Playoffs’ strengths and what made the old era peak could be a fair compromise. Middle ground can be found somewhere between the NASCAR Playoffs and the ‘Winston Cup’ full-season points. Announcing this highly-teased news sooner rather than later could begin building a foundation between the sport’s leadership and disenfranchised fans.

One final method of short-term NASCAR improvement is already in motion–fixing the racing product. The Next Gen Car has seen four years of revitalized and flourishing intermediate racing action, while being lackluster at other track types. The short track/road course rules package for 2026 will see some changes, with horsepower increasing from 670 to 750, which is a much-needed step in the right direction. Ideally, this should bring driver and team talent back into creating speed and compelling competition. Immediately bringing back maximum horsepower would cost millions for teams and manufacturers alike. If 750 horsepower is a notable improvement in 2026, then 2027 and beyond may see even further changes such as a new engine platform redesigned with more power in mind.

Looking towards more long-term goals for NASCAR’s health, there are a few areas of growth that can be tackled head-on. NASCAR needs to position itself for the best possible and most sustainable media rights deal in 2032. As seen with the 2025 media rights agreement, this is a long and drawn out negotiation process. The entire new media rights deal may easily take several months if not years to complete. The final seven-year $7.7 billion deal that lasts until 2031 was not inked until November, 2023. The deal for 2032 and beyond should be the top priority of NASCAR executives at the close of this decade if not sooner. This media deal must maximize audience exposure for all three National Series. In addition, it needs to come with adequate funding to help further stabilize many race teams who need to rely on this source of income.

Tied into the current and future media rights deals are NASCAR and race teams’ collective endeavors to enhance investment and new revenue opportunities. Some of the concessions made in the lawsuit settlement included an agreement that teams will receive money from international media rights as well as funds brought in using team intellectual property. With the ever-growing abundance of sports betting, the cash flow in this and other fields can be immense over the coming years. NASCAR has already dipped its toe into the waters of gambling. Gambling is just one of the new avenues where NASCAR and race teams can tap into previously unavailable money and forge investments.

One other long term bargaining chip that can be offered by NASCAR is a revamp in the sport’s leadership. The trial made it quite evident that Jim France has enjoyed unchecked power during his tenure as NASCAR’s Chairman/CEO. Some form of checks and balances need to be in place to limit the France family’s scope of influence over the sport. As mentioned by Johnny Morris in his letter, “[Steve Phelps] and his lieutenants are not capable of being fair and objective when it comes to impartially enforcing the rules and regulations that govern the sport, including the objective assessment of fines and penalties.” In short, Morris is calling on Phelps to step down from his role as a NASCAR executive.

Whether Phelps, (NASCAR President) Steve O’Donnell, Jim France, or any current executive is tied to the lawsuit-triggering controversies or not, it may be in the sport’s best interest to at least reevaluate their leadership hierarchy. This may be the simplest way NASCAR can project accountability for the rift forming between their brass and fans.

The true scope of the lawsuit and unforeseen consequences of its settlement may not be realized for months if not years. However, one fact is presently clear and evident. The seemingly immortal force that is Michael Jordan has radically redefined two top-tier American sports. Both of these transformational acts for separate sports landscapes also could not be any more divergent. His on-court basketball accomplishments speak for themselves; Jordan played for 15 seasons in the NBA. This span yielded six championships, five league MVP awards, and forged a dynasty with the Chicago Bulls. Past his playing career, Jordan also left his mark as a team owner and executive with both the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets.

This ownership legacy has transitioned with Jordan from basketball to NASCAR, where he remains involved with 23XI Racing to this day. Tyler Reddick took this team to the Championship 4 in 2024, and Bubba Wallace delivered a crown jewel win in 2025. Now returning in full force for 2026 as a chartered team once again, the sky is the limit for 23XI’s on-track success. Jordan, 23XI, and Front Row Motorsports will forever be tied to this unexpected 15-month saga in NASCAR history. Whether or not this change is truly for the better remains to be seen. However, the lawsuit certainly led NASCAR into the limelight during its usually quiet offseason as ‘Jordan Rules’ once again.

Written by Peter Stratta

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