NASCAR Fires Back at Michael Jordan & Curtis Polk!

^{Mar 6, 2025 | Edition #146}

👋 Dear Motorheads,

Three days since the race, the NASCAR world has already been buzzing with action. And, this time, the real drama isn’t just on the track—it’s unfolding behind the scenes. From intense legal battles to a shocking cryptocurrency scam and a bold tribute from a powerhouse team, there’s plenty to talk about.

Yes, NASCAR fans were in for a surprise when a bizarre crypto-related message briefly flashed across their screens the other day. It was gone in a minute, but the damage was done. And here’s the kicker—NASCAR wasn’t the only target. The hackers had their sights set on the NBA, too.

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🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town

NASCAR Brands Two Teams an “Illegal Cartel”

Did you catch the latest NASCAR drama? It’s getting wild! The sanctioning body has finally fired back at Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, accusing them of using aggressive tactics to push for better terms. And that’s not all—NASCAR is also calling out Jordan’s longtime business partner, Curtis Polk, claiming the 23XI co-owner is leading the charge against them.

According to the lawsuit, both teams allegedly ran media campaigns, interfered with broadcast deals, and even threatened boycotts. Yeah, things are getting messy.

At the heart of it all? The charter system. If you’re not familiar, the old agreement was set to expire in 2024, and while 13 Cup teams signed an extension, MJ’s 23XI and Front Row Motorsports held out. They were demanding permanent charters. But NASCAR isn’t budging, arguing that it could hurt the sport’s future.

Now, after being accused of being “monopolistic bullies”, NASCAR has finally hit back with a countersuit. And, guess what they just went a little brutal, calling both teams and Polk an “illegal cartel.” Here, NASCAR claims the two teams even pressurized the sports body.

NASCAR’s lawyer, Christopher Yates, went as far as to say that both teams were trying to rig the system in their favor. And, for sure, this time, NASCAR is fighting back hard. As part of the countersuit, NASCAR is asking for triple damages and has even threatened 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports with losing their charters if they keep up the anti-trust lawsuit. And, Yates isn’t backing off. He even went on to say, “Polk doesn’t know NASCAR.” Read the whole report.

Now, NASCAR isn’t just pushing back—it’s swinging for the fences. A jury trial is set for December 1, 2025.

Despite the legal battle, both teams aren’t backing down. They’ve added new charters in the off-season and are fielding three cars each. Meanwhile, NASCAR is standing firm. Yates made it clear: “The deal is the deal. Front Row and 23XI may think that by suing NASCAR, they can achieve better terms. But that is not NASCAR’s intent at all.” It seems like the sanctioning body is not looking for a settlement, irrespective of how things play out in court. Let’s see how it all unfolds!

Continue Reading: Michael Jordan & Co. Brutally Shut Down NASCAR’s Questionable Attack in 2-Words

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🔎 The In-Depth View

Is Roger Penske Playing with Fire?

Ever wondered what could go wrong when you try to honor a NASCAR legend while stepping into some pretty big boots? That’s exactly what Roger Penske’s team seems to be doing with its tribute to Dale Earnhardt.

As you can probably guess, Penske’s latest move about paying tribute to Dale Earnhardt’s No. 2 car at the South Carolina Governor’s Mansion has split the NASCAR fanbase, despite having Dale Jr’s stamp of approval. While some are all in, others feel it could miss the mark.

Even though nearly a quarter of a century has passed since Intimidator’s tragic death in the 2001 Daytona 500, his legacy continues to live on. But, Penske’s tribute has caused plenty of buzz. The testimonial centers around the No. 2 Chevy Earnhardt drove in the 70s and 80s, featuring the iconic blue and yellow colors, a paint scheme that is tied to his first championship in 1980.

Here’s where things get really interesting. Austin Cindric will be driving the tribute car at Darlington Raceway. And, the No. 2 Ford Mustang will go back to this No. 2 Chevy.

Additionally, before committing to the paint scheme, the 26-year-old actually sought permission from Dale Jr. The latter revealed on X, “Austin text me a few days ago to see what I thought. I told him it’s always such an honor for our family to see Dad represented during the Darlington throwback weekend.”

Well, it seems like all’s well and good, right? But the whole ‘tribute’ comes with its fair share of complications. For starters, Austin Cindric drives a Ford, while Earnhardt’s iconic car is a Chevy. This small but rather significant detail is likely to ruffle some feathers with some sections of the fanbase.

If that wasn’t all, the Team Penske driver also faced plenty of heat recently after hooking Ty Dillon at Circuit of the Americas. It wasn’t exactly the 26-year-old’s best moment on the racetrack, and fans are already worried he won’t be able to match Dale Earnhardt’s ‘vibe.’

But Austin’s optimistic about the whole thing. He said, “The opportunity to pay tribute to a legend, while also recognizing the incredible history of the No. 2 in NASCAR was the goal behind this scheme.”

Now the question is if he will be able to pay tribute to the Intimidator’s legacy at the Goodyear 400 in April or will Roger’s bold gamble backfire? Guess we’ll just have to wait it out and see for ourselves.

Continue Reading: Rick Hendrick’s Prodigy Could Lose ‘NASCAR’s Next Superstar’ Title as Dale Jr. Grooms 18-YO Wonderkid

📈 Trending News

NASCAR Under Organized Attack From Hackers

The digital age is almost like a double-edged sword. Sure, it has brought tons of conveniences into our lives, but it also comes with its fair share of headaches. Just when you probably thought things couldn’t get any crazier, NASCAR has found itself in the middle of a social media hack.

As you can imagine, it was a total nightmare for the sport. And, what’s more crazy is, that the NBA got tangled up in the mess, too. Both leagues were caught up in the same sort of scam. You’ve probably heard the saying, “With great power comes great responsibility,” right?

When you have millions of followers on social media like NASCAR, maintaining your ‘image’ isn’t just a duty but a social responsibility. A hacked account can do some serious damage. Unfortunately for NASCAR, the lesson was learned the hard way when their X account posted this random $NASCAR Token.

The ‘Token’ claimed to be the "official digital asset of motorsports" built on Solana, but in the blink of an eye, the tweet was promptly deleted. Also, the cyberattack wasn’t targeted to just X either, as fans noticed similar posts popping up on Facebook and the Xfinity Series accounts.

But here’s where things truly get sinister. The NBA, with 48.1 million followers on X, got hit by the same scam. It was this NBA-Coin post. The post also claimed the coin is the future of the sport.

Yes, you read that right! This one also tied to Solana Network, moments before NASCAR’s post went live. Both accounts later clarified that they were hacked by cybercriminals.

But this isn’t the first time a situation like this has happened either. Back in 2022, MLB Insider Jeff Passan’s X account was taken over and began prompting dubious NFTs. More recently, NASCAR’s official radio was hijacked during the Atlanta Motor Speedway race, with the culprit, who seemed like a Kyle Larson fan, saying, “Do not f— with Larson. Don’t you f— with Larson, Elton.” Brett Winningham of Speedway Digest even reported this on X.

And, we feel the recent incidents were no less than a wake-up call. The cyberattacks on NASCAR and the NBA prove that even sports platforms are not immune to the dangers of the digital age. With technology constantly evolving, it is the responsibility of sports leagues to remain one step ahead of criminals, not just to preserve their reputations but also to protect fans from malicious scams on the internet.

Continue Reading: Netflix Joins Hands With $4.58 Billion Partner to Surprise Fans Amidst Unwanted Delays

🗝️ From the Vault

Mischievous Little Dale Jr. Was Once Expelled from School

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasn’t exactly a straight-A student—far from it. If you’ve heard the story about him swiping $80 from his dad’s coin jar for a video game, you already know he had a bit of a mischievous streak. And, of course, Dale Sr. made sure his son learned a lesson the hard way. But getting kicked out of school? Now that takes the cake.

Little Junior bounced around schools a lot, mostly because he couldn’t stay out of trouble. So, before ending up in military school in seventh or eighth grade, he spent some time at a Christian school. Here, he actually started to enjoy himself—new friends, a little freedom, life was good. But, as you can probably guess, that didn’t last long.

Trouble had a way of finding him, and he managed to get expelled before winter break even rolled around. And, what he did, wasn’t your average schoolyard mischief.

It’s funny how some memories stay buried—until someone digs them up. That’s exactly what happened to Dale Earnhardt Jr. during a recent Amazon Prime shoot. Junior had long forgotten his wild days at Southview Christian School—until a crew member casually reminded him.

Turns out, the crew member’s dad went to school with the legendary Dale Sr., which unlocked a whole flood of forgotten stories. Then, during a recent Dale Jr. Download stream, a viewer dropped a comment saying they were watching from Southview Christian School. And just like that, Junior’s schoolboy antics became the hot topic of conversation. Here’s what Dale Jr revealed next about what he brought to school.

Oh boy! it was one of his most scandalous stories. “He’s like, ‘My dad told me one of the times that you got in big trouble you brought a Playboy magazine to the classroom.’ I don’t remember that, and he’s like, ‘yep that’s what Dad said’. He’s like, ‘You brought it to the classroom, you whipped it out, and were looking at it. I can’t believe that this is even possible. I would do this in a Christian School.”

The school’s rule was simple—eight write-ups, and you were out. And, of course, Junior hit that number before winter break even rolled around. He thought he was in for the whooping of a lifetime over the holidays… but fate had other plans. Before the expulsion papers were signed, his parents had already decided to send him to military school. We have also found a picture of Dale Jr in military uniform from his days there. Look at the smiling little Dale Jr from 1987.

But, let’s just say—he got off easy. If Dale Sr. had found out, the military school would’ve felt like a tropical vacation compared to what The Intimidator had in mind. Or maybe Dale Sr would have made it a fun punishment, you never know.

Continue Reading: Dale Jr. Faces an Attitude Problem Within JRM as ‘Selfish’ 18-YO Prodigy Given Major Lesson

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