"I'm worried about our sport": Mark Martin delivers a stark warning as day four of the NASCAR antitrust trial unfolds

The antitrust trial between 23XI Racing-Front Row Motorsports and NASCAR headed into the end of its fourth day, stretching into the two-week window set by the court. The case has drawn attention across the industry, and Mark Martin has weighed in with a message for fans who fear the long-term impact.

The two sides have been at loggerheads for over a year now. Teams argue that NASCAR uses its position to control the market for premier stock-car racing team services. They say the structure leaves teams without economic independence, limits where they can race, controls access to equipment through single-source suppliers, and prevents tracks from hosting rival series.

NASCAR rejects those claims and says that its decisions are tied to the stability needed for media deals, competitive consistency, and long-term growth. The jury now decides whether the governing body used illegal means to maintain a monopoly in a market that the judge already defined.

Industry veterans have warned that the outcome could reshape stock car racing forever. That concern was reflected in Mark Martin’s message on X:

“This lawsuit is devastating to the sport we love. I really hope we as fans come out of this better off, but I just don’t see a pathway that leads us to that. I’m worried about our sport. I want it to thrive.”

Mark Martin

@markmartin

This lawsuit is devastating to the sport we love. I really hope we as fans come out of this better off, but I just don’t see a pathway that leads us to that. I’m worried about our sport. I want it to thrive.

Martin has used his platform for years to push for fairer competition, traditional formats, and clearer direction, including calls to return to a full-season format. Some of those conversations helped push NASCAR toward format changes this year. His tone this time is different. The dispute is larger, more complicated, and tied to the core business structure of the sport.

If NASCAR loses, several outcomes remain possible under standard antitrust remedies. According to Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass, the jury could assign actual damages, which a judge may then triple. The court could order structural changes such as permanent charters, the removal of charters entirely, limits on exclusivity clauses, changes to the Next Gen car, or even the sale of certain track-related assets. The range is wide and highlights why Mark Martin was concerned.

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What has happened in the NASCAR antitrust trial so far?

Denny Hamlin (L) and wife Jordan Fish depart the Charles R Jonas Federal Building. Source: Getty

On Day 1, Jury selection took two hours before opening statements began. Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin, Curtis Polk, and FRM owner Bob Jenkins sat with the plaintiffs, while Jim France, Steve Phelps, Steve O’Donnell, and Scott Prime represented NASCAR. The judge barred visual exhibits from both sides. Attorneys Jeffrey Kessler and John Stephenson presented clashing portraits of the sport’s business model before Hamlin began his testimony late in the day.

Hamlin finished a tense and emotional testimony that stretched more than three hours on the second day. NASCAR questioned his investment numbers and financial claims around 23XI Racing. He described his meeting with Jim France and his frustration over long-term returns. Scott Prime then took the stand in the afternoon. Text messages between senior executives were shown to the jury for the first time, revealing internal disagreements over early charter proposals.

On Day 3, Prime returned to the stand as questioning turned to the goodwill provision, Next Gen restrictions, and the evolution of charter documents. Emails showed his concerns about copycat series and the negotiations leading into the 2025-31 framework. Discussions touched on the fear of a breakaway series, internal friction among executives, and contingency planning if talks collapsed. Prime’s testimony ended before lunch, and FRM owner Bob Jenkins followed.

Jenkins faced a tight cross-examination today, as NASCAR pressed him on financial representations and charter purchases. He held firm on the long-term need for fair terms. The afternoon shifted to Steve O’Donnell, who began his testimony post-lunch. Proceedings will continue into next week as both sides prepare for deeper financial and structural arguments.