Rick Ware Racing legally prevented from selling charters

Rick Ware Racing has been prevented from selling either of its NASCAR Cup Series ownership charters until its ongoing legal proceedings with Legacy Motor Club have been resolved.

That was the decision issued by Mecklenberg County (N.C.) superior judge Clifton Smith on Friday following oral arguments by both parties in court on August 13.

The two racing organizations have been embroiled in a contract dispute over which ownership charter Ware sold to Legacy — #36 or #27 – as both are now included in a pending sale to Spire Motorsports co-founder and longtime motorsports executive T.J. Puchyr.

RWR is being sued by Legacy over a dispute that resulted from an agreement that Puchyr personally brokered that would see team owner Rick Ware sell one of his two charters to the organization owned primarily by seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

The charter at the center of this fight

Ware owns two charters — one that is currently leased out to Roush Fenway Keselowski for the No. 60 team and driver Ryan Preece (#27) — but also the one it uses for its No. 51 team and driver Cody Ware (#36).

Cup teams are allowed to loan their charter out once per charter period, which runs the course of each broadcast rights agreement but the dispute centered around which charter was intended to be sold and which year it would change hands.

Legacy maintained that a signed agreement was reneged upon for 2026 with Ware stating that the agreement was for 2027. The distinction matters because charter #36 is slated to be loaned to RFK next season for Preece and the No. 60 car.

For what it’s worth, Legacy has argued that the initial agreement was for Charter #27 after it was transferred back to Ware from RFK.

Legacy requested an injunction to prevent Ware from selling to Puchyr outright. Because Puchyr had brokered the initial agreement between the two teams, Legacy maintains that it was a breach of the role had fostered with both parties just to turn around and attempt to purchase the Ware charters himself.

Thus, Legacy sought an injunction from the court that would prevent Ware from selling his assets and charters until the matter is legally resolved. Judge Smith granted that injunction on Friday.

The court has also set a trial for January, meaning that no transaction will be permitted through that date.