The NASCAR antitrust trial has ended without an official winner. And there are no official losers.
Michael Jordan and other plaintiffs reached a settlement with the stock racing sanctioning body, ending a bitter legal battle over whether NASCAR used anticompetitive practices and harmed Jordan Racing, the Associated Press and other media reported.
Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
(LR) Charlotte Bobcats President Fred Whitfield and NBA legend Michael Jordan greet No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. before the NASCAR Nextel Open at Lowe’s Speedway on May 19, 2007 in Concord, North Carolina. Michael Jordan signed one of Earnhardt’s shoes.
Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
(LR) Charlotte Bobcats President Fred Whitfield and NBA legend Michael Jordan greet No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. before the NASCAR Nextel Open at Lowe’s Speedway on May 19, 2007 in Concord, North Carolina. Michael Jordan signed one of Earnhardt’s shoes.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
Michael Jordan greets fans before the start of the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Speedway on May 19, 2007, near Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
Michael Jordan high-fives the crowd during a pregame ceremony before the start of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Game at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 22, 2010 in Concord, North Carolina.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, talks to a crew member in the No. 23 DoorDash Toyota pit area before the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 race on June 6, 2021 at Sonoma Raceway, California.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
23XI Racing co-owner and NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan watches from the 23XI Racing pits before the NASCAR Cup Series Pocono Organics CBD 325 race at Pocono Raceway on June 26, 2021 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, watches from the 23XI Racing pits during a NASCAR Cup Series bowl game on August 8, 2021 in Watkins Glen, New York.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NASCAR Cup Series 23XI Racing team owner Michael Jordan walks with his wife Yvette Prieto on pit road during Ally 400 qualifying on June 25, 2022 at Nashville Superspeedway.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NASCAR Cup Series 23XI Racing team owner Michael Jordan talks with driver Ty Dillon (42) on pit road during Ally 400 qualifying on June 25, 2022, at Nashville Superspeedway.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick gets a paint job using University of North Carolina and sponsor Michael Jordan colors during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 29, 2023 in Concord, North Carolina.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
23XI Racing team owner Michael Jordan watches from the pits before qualifying for the Ally 400 on June 24, 2023, at Nashville Superspeedway.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan (right), team owner Robert Buck (center) and former NFL player Dwight Freeney talk on the starting grid during the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 qualifying race at Nashville Superspeedway on June 24, 2023 in Lebanon, Tennessee.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan talks with No. 23 DoorDash Toyota driver Bubba Wallace and No. 45 Jordan Brand Toyota driver Tyler Reddick on the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 on Oct. 14, 2023 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NASCAR Cup Series Team 23XI owner Michael Jordan looks at the video board to watch NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) race during the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 1, 2024 in Darlington, South Carolina.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan watches the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 1, 2024 in Darlington, South Carolina.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
2024 regular season champion Tyler Reddick of the No. 45 Upper Deck Toyota poses with 23XI Racing’s Curtis Polk, Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan after the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 1, 2024 in Darlington, South Carolina.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing and driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota singlespeed, and NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan talk on the track after the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 on Oct. 6, 2024, at Talladega Superspeedway, Alabama.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan takes to the track before the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 27, 2024 in Homestead, Florida.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan and No. 45 Beast Killer Sunrise Toyota driver Tyler Reddick celebrate after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 27, 2024.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan talks with No. 12 Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford driver Ryan Blaney after the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 27, 2024 in Homestead, Florida.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan watches the NASCAR Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway on November 10, 2024 in Avondale, Arizona.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
23XI Raching team owner Michael Jordan watches Tyler Reddick during the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 6, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan watches the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 31, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina.
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Michael Jordan: 23 Photos of NBA Hall of Famer and NASCAR Team Owner in Game
NBA Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan listens in the pits during the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 on October 5, 2025 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
The refusal to settle over the past year has pitted NASCAR against the plaintiffs – Jordan and co-owners of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports – in federal court. But on Thursday, December 11, as the high-stakes trial moved closer to a verdict, the settlement brought the case to an abrupt halt in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Meegan Hollywood, an attorney at Shinder Cantor Lerner who specializes in antitrust cases, told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday, Dec. 10, that the settlement was not surprising. Another option is to leave the results to a jury.
“This is dangerous for both sides,” Hollywood said.
Barak Orbach, a professor at the University of Arizona with expertise in antitrust law, told USA TODAY Sports: “One possibility worth considering is that this entire trial is part of a negotiating strategy.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASCAR settles antitrust claims with plaintiff Michael Jordan
