Filing a suit in U.S. District Court in Portland, Maine, Michael Liberty accused NASCAR and Bob Bahre, the owner of the New Hampshire Int'l Speedway of breach of contract, antitrust and unfair competition in the stock car racing industry." The lawsuit, filed by former managing partner of Bahre, alleges that "high-level" NASCAR officials of "breaking a promise" to bring NASCAR-sanctioned racing back to the Maine track after a three-year hiatus. The suit claims, fraud, conspiracy and restraint of trade in the sanctioning of events.

While the suit is a matter of a local racetrack, the suit could have greater repercussions. If NASCAR engaged in a monopolistic control of the sport, and acted to restrain trade in its dealings with individual tracks, that could allege what is known as a section 2 violation under the Sherman antitrust act [click here]. Damages could be significant and more important, the power of NASCAR as an sanctioning body could be weakened.