The ongoing NASCAR antitrust lawsuit has serious implications for drivers like Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick as 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports fight a legal battle against NASCAR. If these teams lose, they could disappear from the Cup Series in 2026, putting the futures of their top drivers in jeopardy and forcing them to search for new rides.
This uncertainty has fans speculating about the fate of these drivers if their teams are forced out of the sport entirely, raising tough questions about where their careers will go next.
Financial Impact of Losing Charter Protection for 23XI Racing
The core issue revolves around 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports refusing to accept NASCAR’s new charter agreement. Both teams launched an antitrust lawsuit, accusing NASCAR of monopolistic behavior. While pursuing legal action, the teams sought a preliminary injunction to maintain benefits usually granted to charter teams. These benefits include guaranteed entry into every points race and a larger portion of the race purse, which help ensure financial stability and competitiveness.
For much of the 2024-25 season, the teams operated under this injunction. However, a recent decision by a U.S. Court of Appeals panel rescinded that temporary protection, casting doubt on the teams’ ability to continue as charter teams.
Without charter status, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports would be forced to race as open teams—an option they consider financially unfeasible long term. The teams have warned they would be
out of business following the 2025 Cup Series season
without the protections their charters provide.
23XI/FRM state that if NASCAR sells charters they had earlier this year, they would be out of business after 2025: “This Court has already found that it is not economically viable to race as open teams on a long-term basis … and NASCAR did not challenge that finding on appeal.” —Bob Pockrass
Despite filing a new preliminary injunction request, the court has yet to rule on it. If the request is denied, NASCAR already has potential buyers lined up for the charters held by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, which would effectively force both teams out by 2026 and leave drivers scrambling to secure new contracts.
Potential Driver Moves as 23XI Racing Faces Possible Closure
The prospect of losing teams like 23XI Racing dramatically complicates the driver market. NASCAR journalist Jordan Bianchi highlighted the uncertainty around where drivers such as Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick might end up if they must find new teams.
Currently, the Cup Series has no open seats, but the availability of proven performers could prompt several organizations to reconsider their driver lineups. Bianchi commented,
Among the drivers needing new teams would be Tyler Reddick, a Championship 4 finalist a year ago, Bubba Wallace, who just won the Brickyard 400, Corey Heim, and FRM’s Zane Smith, a young talent viewed as having big upside. Predicting where these guys all would land is nearly impossible; there will be teams that don’t currently have openings but will reevaluate their driver lineups if an upgrade is suddenly available.
Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick both made the playoffs this season, proving their competitiveness and appeal to other teams. Their consistent performance increases their chances of landing with new organizations, possibly those acquiring charters from the shuttered teams. However, this opportunity may not extend to all drivers currently on these rosters.
The Broader Impact on Front Row Motorsports and Other Drivers
The driver departures would not be limited to Wallace and Reddick. From 23XI Racing’s side, Riley Herbst also faces uncertainty, while Front Row Motorsports’ drivers Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, and Zane Smith would likely be affected. Performance statistics add complexity to their prospects: Smith ranks 28th in points, while Gilliland and Gragson place outside the top 30, and Herbst stands 35th. None of the Front Row drivers qualified for this season’s playoffs.
The possible exit of 23XI Racing, co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, risks weakening NASCAR’s competitive field. The team has emerged as a significant challenger to the sport’s established leaders, making the loss of this organization a serious blow to the quality and diversity of competition, as well as to fans who support these drivers and the team’s vision.
What Lies Ahead for 23XI Racing and Its Drivers?
The outcome of the legal fight will shape not only the futures of Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick but also the structure of the Cup Series itself. Should 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports lose their charters and cease operations, it would trigger a major reshuffle within NASCAR’s driver market and alter the competitive balance of the sport.
Fans and insiders alike now wait to see if the courts will grant the new preliminary injunction or if NASCAR’s planned sale of charters proceeds. These decisions will dictate which drivers can continue at the highest level and which teams may rise or fall in the process.
