美联社北卡罗来纳州夏洛特电 —— NASCAR已向联邦法院申请召开司法调解会议，以期由独立法官对迈克尔·乔丹旗下23XI车队与前沿赛车运动公司提起的反垄断诉讼进行调解。
双方在周一深夜提交的文件中表示，希望继续与调解人杰弗里·米什金合作。米什金曾任NBA执行副总裁兼首席法务官，今年一直在双方之间进行调解。
23XI与Front Row在提交的文件中表示："米什金先生已投入大量时间研究此案并与各方会面"。原告方因此要求纳斯卡赛车协会继续通过米什金先生与其沟通，或直接向原告律师提出和解方案，但纳斯卡未予回应，反而提交了此项动议。
NASCAR似乎对该诊断结果并不满意，希望寻求第二方意见。
相关团队指出，米什金（Mishkin）在复杂的体育相关反垄断纠纷领域拥有丰富经验，并曾担任国际体育仲裁法庭、美洲杯帆船赛、国际足联（FIFA）和美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）等机构的仲裁员或调解员。
相关团队还辩称，更换新调解人“从头开始”的做法“更不可能——而非更有可能——促成问题的解决”。
美国纳斯卡赛车协会（NASCAR）正寻求即决判决以在12月1日庭审开始前驳回此案，双方针锋相对的动议由此产生。关于该动议的听证会定于10月21日举行。
争议焦点在于特许权制度的保护问题，该制度不仅是纳斯卡（NASCAR）商业模式的核心，也是此次法庭斗争的焦点。特许权制度是纳斯卡对特许经营模式的独特诠释。持有特许权可确保车队所有者获得参赛席位及每年基本收入分成。据纳斯卡官方数据，自2016年以来，这一制度已为各参赛车队创造了超过15亿美元的股权价值。
一年前，15支车队中有13支选择续约，因为他们认为两年多的谈判不会带来更优厚的协议。而由迈克尔·乔丹和三届戴通纳500冠军丹尼·哈姆林共同拥有的23XI车队，以及企业家鲍勃·詹金斯经营的弗龙特罗赛车公司则选择了对簿公堂。
数月来，其他13支车队私下抱怨称，这场诉讼给NASCAR的未来蒙上了不确定性。米什金（Mishkin）在和解方面毫无进展，NASCAR现在希望由联邦法官而非目前主审此案的美国地区法官肯尼思·贝尔（Kenneth Bell）来听取双方意见，并就解决方案提供建议。
上周，纳斯卡（NASCAR）多数顶尖车队提交声明，呼吁就特许经营体系达成和解并予以保护。纳斯卡在其周一晚间提交至美国北卡罗来纳州西区地方法院的文件中提及了这一动向。
美国纳斯卡公司（NASCAR）表示：“各方解决此事的意愿，加上体育界其他相关方及法院希望案件得以解决的诉求，表明司法调解会议将是促进和解的有效途径。”
双方均表现出对话意愿，但尚未取得进展。
纳斯卡赛车协会希望通过司法调解会议引入一名法官，由其协助引导谈判，并就陪审团可能如何解读这起复杂的纳斯卡反垄断案件提供专业见解。
法院必须批准NASCAR的请求。
各方均表示愿意接受和解，其中包括乔丹。他在八月听证会后补充称，如有必要，也愿意诉诸审判。
“我期待与这场烈火共进退。如果必须为这项运动的进步战斗到底，我会的，”他在联邦法院外说道。“我们始终对和解持开放态度。一直如此。我们从未将这一选项排除在外。”
美联社赛车新闻专栏：
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) NASCAR has asked a federal court for a judicial settlement conference so that an independent judge can mediate the antitrust suit filed by Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.
The two teams pushed back in their own late Monday night filing that it wants to continue working with mediator Jeffrey Mishkin, the former executive vice president and chief legal officer of the NBA who has been negotiating between the two sides this year.
Mr. Mishkin has invested a great deal of time learning this case and meeting with the parties, 23XI and Front Row said in the filing. Plaintiffs have thus requested that NASCAR continue to engage with them via Mr. Mishkin or to make a settlement offer directly to Plaintiffs counsel, but NASCAR has not responded to those requests and instead filed this motion.
It seems NASCAR is not happy with the diagnosis and wants to seek a second opinion.
The teams argued Mishkin has significant expertise in complex, sports-related antitrust disputes and has served as an arbitrator or mediator for the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Americas Cup, FIFA, and the NFL, among others.
The teams also argue that starting over with a new mediator is less likely, not more likely, to lead to resolution.
The dueling motions come as NASCAR seeks a summary judgement to dismiss the case before the scheduled Dec. 1 start of trial. A hearing on that motion is scheduled for Oct. 21.
At issue is the protection of the charter system that is at the heart of NASCARs business model and the focal point of the court fight. The charter system is NASCARs version of a franchise model. A charter guarantees owners spots in the field, a base amount of revenue each year, and according to NASCAR, has created more than $1.5 billion in equity value for its teams since 2016.
A year ago, 13 of the 15 teams re-signed when they believed two-plus years of negotiations would not lead to a better deal. 23XI, co-owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, went to court instead.
For months, the other 13 teams have privately complained that the lawsuit is creating uncertainty over the future of NASCAR. Mishkin has made no progress toward a settlement and NASCAR now wants a federal judge other than U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who is presiding over the case, to hear both sides and advise on a resolution.
Most of the top teams in NASCAR last week submitted declarations calling for a settlement and protection of the charter system, which NASCAR noted in its Monday night filing to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
The parties readiness to resolve this matter, along with the interests of others in the sport and the Court to see this case resolved, suggest a judicial settlement conference would be a meaningful way to facilitate a settlement, NASCAR wrote.
Both sides have shown a willingness to talk, but no progress has been made.
Through a judicial settlement conference, NASCAR hopes to bring in a judge who can help direct the talks and offer insight into how a jury might interpret the complex NASCAR antitrust case.
The court must approve NASCARs request.
All sides have said they are open to settlement, including Jordan, who also added after an August hearing he was willing to take it to trial if necessary.
I look forward to going down with the fire. If I have to fight this to the end, for the betterment of the sport, I will, he said outside federal court. Weve always been open to a settlement. Always have been. Weve never taken that off the table.
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AP auto racing:
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