NASCAR Rant Report - Friday, March 7th

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Major headlines out of Wednesday and Thursday:

Previewing The Weekend in Phoenix
NASCAR Countersues 23XI, FRM, and Curtis Polk
Austin Cindric Penalized, Chase Briscoe Un-Penalized

Plus, miscellaneous topics so far this week.

Previewing The Weekend in Phoenix:

The upcoming NASCAR weekend at Phoenix Raceway is packed with excitement and notable events. The NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and ARCA Menards Series will all be in action. The Cup Series race, the Shriners Children's 500, is set for Sunday, March 9, and will be broadcast on FS1 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Christopher Bell, who has won the last two races this season, is a favorite, having also won the spring race at Phoenix last year. Ryan Blaney, known for his consistent performance at Phoenix, is another top contender. Other betting favorites include William Byron (+800), Kyle Larson (+800), Joey Logano (+1000), Chase Elliott (+1000), and Denny Hamlin (+1100).

Katherine Legge will make her NASCAR Cup Series debut with Live Fast Motorsports, becoming the first woman to race in the Cup Series since Danica Patrick in 2018. The race will also feature the use of option tires, adding a strategic element to the competition.

Kyle Larson will be without two key crew members due to penalties from COTA, while Alex Bowman will compete in both the Cup and Xfinity Series races. Joey Logano, the defending Cup Series champion, is looking to improve his performance after a slow start to the season.

In the Xfinity Series, the GOVX 200 will take place on Saturday, March 8, with practice and qualifying sessions earlier in the day. The ARCA Menards Series will kick off the weekend with the General Tire 150 on Friday, March 7, at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Want some non-AI content? Check out the previous Editorial:
NASCAR Officiating Needs To Meet New Expectations

NASCAR Countersues 23XI, FRM, and Curtis Polk:

NASCAR has filed a counter-suit against 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports (FRM), and Curtis Polk, a co-owner of 23XI Racing and longtime business partner of Michael Jordan. This legal action is in response to an antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI and FRM in October 2024, which accused NASCAR of monopolistic practices and unfair control over the sport. The counter-suit alleges that Polk and the teams engaged in illegal collective negotiating tactics, violating federal antitrust laws by conspiring to pressure NASCAR into accepting their terms for the 2025 Charter Agreement.

NASCAR claims that Polk orchestrated a scheme to undermine its business through media campaigns, interference with broadcast negotiations, and threats of boycotts. The counter-suit also accuses the teams of attempting to coerce other teams into joining their efforts, which NASCAR argues constitutes an illegal cartel. The sanctioning body asserts that the actions of 23XI and FRM jeopardize the continuation of the charter system, which guarantees teams a starting spot in races and a share of revenue.

The legal battle centers on the charter system, which was introduced in 2016 to provide financial stability and guaranteed race entries for teams. NASCAR extended the charter agreement in 2020, and the latest extension runs through 2031. However, 23XI and FRM were the only teams out of 15 that refused to sign the new agreement, leading to the current legal dispute. NASCAR's counter-suit seeks to have the court declare that 23XI and FRM violated antitrust laws and to eliminate their guaranteed starting positions if they continue to challenge the charter agreements.

The case is set for a jury trial on December 1, 2025, with NASCAR appealing a preliminary injunction that allows 23XI and FRM to compete as charter teams in the 2025 season. Both sides have expressed confidence in their positions, with NASCAR emphasizing the benefits of the charter system and the teams arguing for a more competitive and fair sport. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for the future of NASCAR's charter system and the overall structure of the sport.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Austin Cindric Penalized, Chase Briscoe Un-Penalized:

Austin Cindric was penalized for intentionally wrecking Ty Dillon during the NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The incident occurred when Cindric hooked Dillon's right-rear quarter panel, causing Dillon to spin on the frontstretch. As a result, NASCAR docked Cindric 50 driver points and fined him $50,000, dropping him from 11th to 34th in the Cup Series points standings. Despite the severity of the penalty, Cindric was not suspended. NASCAR cited the lower speeds of the road course, the lack of significant damage to Dillon's car, and the fact that the incident did not result in a caution as reasons for not issuing a suspension. This decision has sparked debate, with some arguing that it breaks precedent set by previous suspensions for similar actions by other drivers.

In contrast, Chase Briscoe and his Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team successfully appealed a penalty issued after the Daytona 500. NASCAR had initially penalized Briscoe for an infraction involving the spoiler on his car, docking him 100 championship points, 10 playoff points, and issuing a four-race suspension to his crew chief, James Small, along with a $100,000 fine to the team. The National Motorsports Appeals Panel overturned the penalties, ruling that the elongation of the holes on the spoiler base was due to the assembly process and not a modification of the single-source part. This decision reinstated Briscoe's points, moving him from 46th to 14th in the standings, and allowed Small to continue his role without suspension.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Miscellaneous:

Kyle Larson will be without two key crew members for the next two NASCAR Cup Series races due to a detached wheel incident at Circuit of the Americas. Jackman Brandon Johnson and front tire changer Blaine Anderson have been suspended. Eric Ludwig and Jafar Hall from Justin Haley’s team will fill in for them at Phoenix Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman has been named the grand marshal for the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Freeman, known for his iconic voice and extensive acting career, will give the command to start engines for the race on March 16.

Paul Wolfe, the reigning three-time NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning crew chief, will call his 500th career race at Phoenix Raceway. Wolfe, who currently works with Joey Logano, has had a successful career with 42 victories and three championships. He aims to become the first crew chief to achieve four series championships since Chad Knaus.

Legacy Motor Club has appointed Dean Kessel as its Chief Marketing Officer. Kessel brings over 25 years of experience in sports marketing and has previously worked with Jimmie Johnson through various partnerships. His role will involve overseeing marketing initiatives, sponsorship activations, and brand strategy.

Luke Baldwin, son of Daytona 500-winning crew chief Tommy Baldwin, will make his NASCAR Truck Series debut with ThorSport Racing. Baldwin, who recently won the SMART Modified Tour championship, will drive the No. 66 Ford in multiple races, starting at Martinsville Speedway.

Choice Hotels International is expanding its sponsorship of Trackhouse Racing for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The sponsorship will now include Ross Chastain in addition to Daniel Suárez. Choice Privileges members can use their points to bid on exclusive race day experiences, including tours and meet-and-greets with the drivers.

Cincinnati Inc. will expand its partnership with Hendrick Motorsports by becoming a primary sponsor of William Byron's No. 24 NASCAR Cup Series team for two races in both 2025 and 2026. The sponsorship will debut at Kansas Speedway and Martinsville Speedway during the playoff races.

BPro Auto Parts will sponsor Daniel Dye and Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 Chevrolet in four Xfinity Series races throughout the 2025 season. The partnership begins at Phoenix Raceway and includes races at Texas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

The actors Clancy Brown and Luke Cook, co-stars of The CW’s "Good Cop/Bad Cop," will serve as co-grand marshals for the GOVX 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Phoenix Raceway. They will give the command to start engines for the race on March 8.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on these topics.

Upcoming Changes to Rant Report:

At Rant Report, our mission is to keep you informed, while saving you time. However, when there is little or no news to share, sending a newsletter to your inbox goes against that mission.

For this reason, Rant Report will be shifting it’s schedule from five days a week to Monday/Wednesday/Friday only. Any news that would have previously been covered on Tuesday or Thursday will be combined with the Wednesday and Friday newsletters, respectively.

The Saturday Editorial and Sunday Race Day Preview will continue as normal.

Thumbnail image credits on our Source Materials Page.

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