IndyCar Files Motion Against NASCAR’s “Burdensome and Unnecessary” Demand

IndyCar has taken legal action by filing a motion in federal court in Indiana to block NASCAR’s attempt to obtain its financial records and to prevent the deposition of Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles. This development occurs amid ongoing legal disputes involving 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, who have accused NASCAR’s Cup Series of monopolistic practices.

Background of the Legal Dispute

In 2024, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports initiated a lawsuit against NASCAR and its CEO, James France. The teams alleged that NASCAR exercises hegemonic control over top-tier stock car racing. Central to their argument is NASCAR’s use of charters, which guarantee race entry spots but simultaneously restrict participation in other racing series. According to the plaintiffs, this system constitutes an illegal scheme designed to suppress competition within the motorsport industry.

In response, NASCAR filed a countersuit in March 2024. The organization accused 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports of orchestrating a coordinated campaign to intimidate NASCAR. This campaign allegedly involved threats of boycotts and other coercive tactics aimed at forcing NASCAR to alter its policies.

Front Row Motorsports’ Broad Legal Strategy

To bolster their case, Front Row Motorsports has aggressively pursued financial records from several major professional sports organizations. This includes ongoing litigation to obtain documents from IndyCar, the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Football League (NFL). The team has already secured financial data from Major League Baseball (MLB) and recently reached a settlement with Liberty Media, the parent company of Formula 1.

IndyCar’s Motion to Protect Doug Boles

On Wednesday, motorsports journalist Bob Pockrass reported that IndyCar filed a motion to distance itself from the controversy and to prevent the deposition of Doug Boles, President of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The deposition was scheduled for the upcoming Friday.

IndyCar argued in its motion that it had already provided NASCAR with 650 pages of documents and emphasized that NASCAR is a direct competitor. Therefore, deposing Boles would be “burdensome and unnecessary.” IndyCar is seeking to protect its interests and maintain a degree of separation from the ongoing legal battles between NASCAR and the racing teams.

Upcoming Events and Broadcast Viewership

The next IndyCar race is scheduled for July 6, 2025, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Meanwhile, the recent NTT IndyCar Series XPEL Grand Prix at Road America experienced a slight dip in television ratings. The FOX broadcast attracted 781,000 viewers, marking a 10% decrease compared to the 863,000 viewers for the 2024 edition of the event. This was the first time in four events that viewership fell below the one-million mark. However, the broadcast peaked at 934,000 viewers between 3:30 pm and 3:45 pm ET, indicating sustained interest during critical moments of the race.

Despite this dip, the overall trend for IndyCar viewership remains positive. Since FOX took over broadcasting rights, the sport’s average audience has increased by 33% year-over-year, signaling strong growth for the premier American open-wheel racing series.

Notably, the broadcast of the Detroit race on June 1, 2025, averaged 1.061 million viewers across FOX’s network and streaming platforms. This represented a 75% increase compared to the 2024 race, which aired on the USA Network.