Lawsuits, they’re all anyone can talk about in the world of NASCAR, right now.
It all started with the trial of the century, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports vs NASCAR. Then came LEGACY MOTOR CLUB vs Rick Ware Racing. Next up was Nitro Motorsports vs Leland Honeyman. And most recently, Joe Gibbs Racing vs Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports.
However, on Tuesday, a new lawsuit was filed in the NASCAR universe.
Young’s Motorsports, a team that currently fields two entries in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and was previously a race-winning organization in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is being sued by JLB & Associates.
Who are JLB & Associates?
That would be Jerry Brown, or the former owner of Brandonbilt Motorsports, which fielded the No. 68 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series entry a few years ago.
According to the court documents, JLB & Associates have brought forth the lawsuit under allegations that Young’s Motorsports has possession of a pull-down rig, and Featherlite trailer, both of which are the property of Brandonbilt Motorsports/JBL & Associates.
If the equipment belongs to Brandonbilt Motorsports, how did Young’s Motorsports come into possession of the items?
According to the lawsuit filing, the pull-down rig was being sold to FRS Racing, a team that ran part-time in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series a few years ago, in a 10-year purchase agreement.
In or around 2023, FRS Racing moved its operation from its own race shop in a cost savings measure, and instead took up space in the Young’s Motorsports shop to prepare its race cars.
It was during that time that JLB & Associates says that FRS requested permission to rent the rig to Young’s Motorsports so it could obtain the funds needed to fulfill the purchase agreement.
JLB & Associates agreed that FRS could rent the rig to Young’s Motorsports.
FRS would default on the financing agreement later in 2023, at which time JLB & Associates attempted to obtain repossession of its equipment.
JLB & Associates claims Young’s Motorsports refused to relinquish the pull-down rig, as the team explained it was holding the equipment as collateral for missed rent payments from FRS Racing utilizing the Young’s shop to house its cars.
However, with FRS not the official owner of the rig, JLB & Associates thinks there should have been no entitlement for FRS to use the rig as a source of collateral.
As for the Featherlite trailer, JBL & Associates says Young’s Motorsports team principal Tyler Young reached out to Jerry Brown about leasing the trailer for the 2023 racing season.
Due to this conversation, Brown left the trailer off the list of items that FRS Racing would enter into the purchasing agreement for. And instead, a lease agreement was worked up for Young’s Motorsports to rent the trailer.
JBL & Associates says the lease agreement was for a total of $31,500, which was set to be paid out in nine monthly payments of $3,500 plus tax. Near the end of the term Young’s Motorsports inquired about extending the lease for another season.
According to JBL, Young’s failed to make the ninth payment of the original one-year lease agreement, but has kept possession of the trailer and has used it since then.
For the breach of contract related to the lease of the Featherlite trailer, JBL & Associates is seeking all monthly payments owed by Young’s Motorsports from November 2023 to present, as well as 5% accrued interest, a term that is included in the lease agreement of the trailer.
JBL is also seeking recovery due to damage and conversion of the pull-down rig and trailer by Young’s Motorsports for its own uses and purposes.
Additionally, JBL wants to repossess its equipment, and would like to recover any and all attorneys fees and costs from Young’s Motorsports.
The complaint filing from JBL includes a copy of the lease agreement for the Featherlite trailer, which was signed by Tyler Young on February 2, 2023.
