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The NASCAR Cup Series season recently ended, but teams are also looking forward to the 2025 campaign. 23XI is looking to build on a season in which one of their drivers qualified for the playoffs, but they're also dealing with their ongoing legal action against NASCAR as a governing body.
Prior to Wednesday's decision, there was real doubt that 23XI drivers (and Front Row Motorsports) would be able to race as chartered teams due to to the lawsuit.
The judge presiding over the case ruled that 23XI and Front Row can race as chartered teams, a move that appears to follow a pointed message from star driver Bubba Wallace.
U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Bell, who is overseeing the case, cited Wallace's potential to join another team next season in his decision.
Wallace sent a message to 23XI, letting them know that he would pursue opportunities with other teams if he wasn't able to drive a chartered car.
“23XI’s contract with driver Riley Herbst similarly requires that Herbst be provided with a chartered car, as does Front Row’s contract with driver Noah Gragson,” the court said on Wednesday.
“Other drivers have expressed similarly urgent concerns. Driver Bubba Wallace informed 23XI that he needs to know how it intends to compete ‘immediately’ so that he can explore seats with other teams.”
The judge ruled that the circumstances surrounding Wallace and the other drivers constituted "immediate harm," and granted the temporary induction.
“We welcome today’s decision by Judge Bell granting a preliminary injunction in our favor. The court’s ruling allows 23XI and Front Row Motorsports to race existing cars as chartered teams in next year’s Cup Series," said Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney for the two teams.
"The decision also requires NASCAR to approve both teams’ purchases of a third charter from Stewart-Haas Racing and allow these cars to also race as chartered teams in the 2025 season. We are confident in the strength of our case and will continue to fight so that racing can thrive and become a more competitive and fair sport in ways that benefit teams, drivers, sponsors and, most importantly, our fans."
As the case continues in court, we'll see what NASCAR will do to defend itself against the allegations of monopolization from the two teams. For now, the 23XI and Front Row drivers will compete in their usual ways this season.
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Corey LaJoie 'frustrated' after fifth-place finish in NASCAR Truck Series race at Michigan
Despite finishing fifth in his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of 2025, Corey LaJoie was still frustrated by what could've been in the closing laps of Saturday's race at Michigan International Speedway. A huge crash on the Lap 121 restart put LaJoie on the front row for the first overtime restart of the afternoon. But after two more crashes forced the race into triple-overtime, LaJoie chose to restart not on the front row, but in the outside lane, behind another truck for the final restart of the race. That decision ended up being the death knell for LaJoie, as he was unable to challenge for the win over the final two laps. In his 303rd start across NASCAR's top-three series, LaJoie is still searching for his first win. "I've been so close so many times, I don't count my chickens anymore," LaJoie told Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass. "In my case, it's never hatched. I knew we were in the right spot to be. I'm just really frustrated. We say it all the time, winners choose the front row." "We had the chance to choose the front row and we didn't. It seemed like the outside lane always prevailed over the inside lane, and that's what we were going with. But the lane was soft, the push didn't come, and we were kinda stuck in bad air." Still, a top-five finish in his first Truck Series start of the year is a good building block for LaJoie. His next race with Spire Motorsports and the No. 07 team will come at Richmond on Aug. 15. LaJoie will also pilot the No. 07 Chevrolet in the seven races that make up the Truck Series playoffs in an attempt to win the owners championship for Spire. All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Trade rejection speaks volumes about Red Sox's Jarren Duran intentions
The Boston Red Sox appear to have no interest in trading outfielder Jarren Duran, at least not in the near future. Trade rumors have swirled around Duran for most of the season, especially after designated hitter Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants. However, Sean McAdam from MassLive reported that the Red Sox may wait until the offseason before moving on from the former All-Star. The decision to wait on Duran is not due to a lack of offers. McAdam also reported that the Padres made a significant offer for Duran involving pitcher Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another unnamed prospect. That offer was quickly rejected. The Padres have long coveted Duran. McAdam had previously reported that the Padres have been "relentless" in their pursuit of the Red Sox outfielder. The reported trade offer including Salas, the Padres second-best prospect and the 21st-best prospect in baseball per MLB.com, illustrates how serious they are about acquiring Duran. Likewise, the Red Sox's refusal to entertain such an offer, even as a starting point for negotiations, speaks volumes about their interest in moving Duran. The Padres' offer would help solve several problems for the Red Sox in both the present and future. Moving Duran would help clear up the logjam in the outfield, while Cease and Salas would respectively improve the back of their rotation and provide a possible cornerstone behind the plate going forward. Duran is a valuable trade chip as he is under team control through 2028. He has also taken a step back in production from his stellar showing in 2024, posting a respectable .254/.321/.428 batting line in 459 plate appearances entering Friday, with nine homers and 25 doubles while stealing 16 bases. That production would be an upgrade for several teams looking to improve their outfield going forward. The question is whether or not the Red Sox will be realistic in their asking price for Duran. Considering how quickly the Padres' offer was reportedly rejected, that may not be the case.
Why Yankees' trade for All-Star 3B is disappointing
The New York Yankees’ first move ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline falls a bit flat. They traded two prospects most fans have never heard of to acquire Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon, a lackluster move that indicates New York is throwing in the towel on the 2025 season. McMahon is an upgrade — but only a slight one. Yankees GM Brian Cashman replaced a .147 hitter in Oswald Peraza with a .217 hitter in McMahon, who also happens to lead the National League in strikeouts (127). But really, New York just added another Anthony Volpe — one of the biggest problems in the Bombers’ lineup — to the left side of their infield. The two infielders’ 2025 stats tell virtually the same sad tale: McMahon: .217/.314/.403, 16 home runs Volpe: .214/.286/.400, 13 home runs The Yankees should have risked a top prospect or two for Arizona Diamondbacks power-hitting third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A 2026 free agent, Suarez is a rental, but with his .252/.325/.593 slash line, 33 home runs and MLB-leading 86 RBI, he’d be a huge upgrade at third base, rather than a slight one. Instead, the Yankees opted for a player who they’ll have control over until 2028 and cost them almost nothing to acquire. Apparently, they believe McMahon will prove valuable in the long run, based on his advanced analytics. After all, he’s been crushing the ball in 2025, averaging a 94 mph exit velocity. However, his ability to hit the ball hard doesn’t mean he’s just been unlucky this year, as his xBA is just .232 — not too far below his .240 career actual batting average. Compare that to another guy who’s known for hitting the ball hard in Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, who is hitting just .232 but has an xBA of .289. It doesn’t matter how hard McMahon hits the ball if he tends to hit it directly at a fielder. There’s still a week until the trade deadline, but don’t expect the Yankees to make any truly splashy moves. Suarez was the better choice to fix New York’s third base issues, and their pivot to McMahon was disappointing.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Shares Excitement Over The TD Pass From Aaron Rodgers To DK Metcalf: 'That's What I Envisioned All Summer'
The Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp has officially begun, and it’s already been full of excitement. Training camp gives fans a first look at how the team’s many new additions are starting to come together on the field. Among those fresh faces, two veterans have already generated a lot of talk for their growing connection, and that's wide receiver DK Metcalf and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The chemistry between them has caught the attention of fans across the league, and they’re quickly becoming one of the most anticipated quarterback-receiver duos heading into the season. With training camp also comes plenty of media coverage, and it’s been interesting to hear everyone's thoughts, especially with so many changes to the team. During a recent media session, Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke about a standout touchdown pass from Rodgers to Metcalf. Tomlin couldn’t hide his excitement, sharing that this is exactly what he was hoping for, all while smiling proudly. This play sparked even more excitement, especially given that Rodgers’ very first pass in camp in team drills, which was also intended for Metcalf, was intercepted by linebacker Patrick Queen. This moment got a lot of attention, particularly from those already skeptical of Rodgers. However, he responded calmly, acknowledging that the interception wouldn’t be his last, but there would be plenty of touchdowns too. Just a day later, he backed up that mindset by delivering a highlight-reel play, quickly shifting the narrative in a more positive direction. Others also agreed that the play was worthy of being on a highlight reel. Steelers insider and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Gerry Dulac shared his take, saying that if the pass from Rodgers to Metcalf had happened during a regular season game, it would have been the talk of the league. He went on to describe the play as "perfect," emphasizing just how impressive it was. "If that were a regular season game, every highlight show in the country would show that play because it was so artistically perfect that you just sit there and you go, 'Wow,'" Dulac said. It’s clear that Rodgers is locked in as the starting quarterback and Metcalf is established as the team’s wide receiver one (WR1). What’s been especially encouraging is how quickly they’ve started building chemistry, and it's something that’s been clear both on and off the field. During training camp, they’ve even been suite mates, giving them even more time to connect with each other. Long before Rodgers officially signed with the Steelers, the two made headlines when they were spotted working out and playing football together, sparking early excitement about their potential as a dynamic duo. The bigger question has been who will step into the WR2 role, and Wide Receivers Coach Zach Azzanni recently confirmed that Calvin Austin III will be the one to take on that spot as training camp gets underway. Rodgers has already started building a connection with Austin through conversations, making it exciting to see how their chemistry will develop on the field. With Metcalf and Austin as targets, and Rodgers' talent and knowledge leading, there’s plenty of hope that the offense will deliver more big plays like the one we’ve already seen, but this time in real games. The Steelers Have Confidence In Rodgers At 41 years old, Rodgers’ age has raised some concerns, but plays like the recent touchdown to Metcalf remind everyone why he’s a likely Hall of Famer and why he’s had such a successful career. The Steelers have made a clear effort to surround him with top talent, adding key weapons throughout the offense to give him every opportunity possible to succeed. With this potentially being Rodgers’ final season in the NFL, it makes watching how the team comes together even more exciting.
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