Overview

• NASCAR filed a motion in the Western District of North Carolina to order a judicial settlement conference, proposing a magistrate or another judge to steer talks.
• 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports opposed switching to a judicial officer and asked to keep mediator Jeffrey Mishkin, citing limited time before trial.
• NASCAR also moved for summary judgment and attached declarations from 10 owners—including Roger Penske, Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs and Richard Childress—urging settlement and defending the charter framework.
• Plaintiffs’ attorney Jeffrey Kessler said the teams are prepared for the December 1 jury trial but remain willing to continue mediation.
• Judge Kenneth Bell has cautioned that a plaintiffs’ win could create significant uncertainty for 2026, while NASCAR says it will not renegotiate charter terms even as it signals openness to a pretrial resolution.