23XI, FRM expert witness gives damning testimony against NASCAR during trial

Today in the NASCAR antitrust trial, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports had their expert witness on the stand. His testimony was, of course, not great for the sanctioning body. He was able to piece together a lot of what the jury has already heard from other witnesses.

Economist Edward Snyder, former Dean at Yale, University of Chicago, and University of Virginia business schools, is the first expert witness to come up to the stand. Expert witnesses differ from lay witnesses. An expert is there to explicitly give their professional opinion regarding the evidence of the case and how it pertains to the ultimate question of the trial. In the NASCAR trial, that’s whether or not the sport has illegally maintained its monopoly on the sport.

According to Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, Snyder noted that NASCAR has “created barriers” in the market of premier stock car racing. He noted that the sport has set up those barriers to prevent competition in the market. Snyder says that these barriers have also harmed the teams in terms of reducing their market value.

Teams called their expert economist Edward Snyder to the witness stand Monday, as he claimed that his analysis shows @NASCAR has "created barriers" to stop competitors from forming, and that this has left teams compensated at a rate below what should be the normal market value.

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) December 8, 2025

Snyder went over the NASCAR trial documents that showed the reaction leadership had to a potential competing series. As he testified regarding those plans, Snyder reportedly said, “You don’t see: Pay the teams more,” according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.

Edward Snyder (former dean Yale, UChicago, UVa biz schools):
-"Teams have been compensated below a competitive market"
-In NASCAR doc on options on how to respond to potential breakaway series "You don't see: Pay the teams more."
-Why NASCAR pays tracks? "Paying for exclusivity."

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) December 8, 2025

Expert testimony can be very convincing to a jury. They are seen as professionals and their expertise is generally respected by both legal teams. NASCAR will try to get the expert off his game in the cross-examination. They will either try to discredit him as an expert or soften the blow of his testimony by making it seem like not a big deal.

NASCAR trial: Expert witness takes the stand for teams

Of course, NASCAR has their own experts. We are set to hear from Steve Phelps, Richard Childress, and Jim France next as 23XI and Front Row start to close their arguments. However, they might not take the stand until tomorrow or even Wednesday at this point. The trial is likely going to get pushed into the next week.

There have been several witnesses up to this point. Phelps and France are going to be very important witnesses for the jury to hear. The fact that 23XI and Front Row are calling them up means it is likely to be a contentious direct examination. Childress is the witness the fans want to see most. You could probably sell Pay-Per-View options to NASCAR fans for that testimony after the “redneck” comments.

The NASCAR trial has been the focus of the offseason. It is starting to get to the end here. NASCAR is going to have their chance to present their defense. Judge Kenneth Bell really wanted this trial to finish this week, but it just doesn’t look like that’s possible. Then again, NASCAR might have a rather short defense. They do not have to take as much time as the Plaintiffs.