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The basketball icon, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and novelty within the sport emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his racing venture, saying he invested $40 million of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation launched with business partner Curtis Polk and driver Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “As a newcomer, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport it needed to be looked at from a different view.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Renewal Demands

At issue is the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a franchise. This system mirrors other major leagues with independent franchises, like the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. The agreement was due to end in 2024 when Nascar demanded charter membership renewals.

Jordan testified for an hour and left the court to a media frenzy, with onlookers and reporters vying for a glimpse or a photo of the global icon.

Leading the Legal Charge

Jordan’s 23XI is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan contended is unlawful to keep two hands on the wheel.

For Jordan and and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. She recounted a hectic and tense period where the racing circuit told teams they had to sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement spanned over a hundred pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports decided their only feasible option was to refuse a signature that 112-page package and take the issue to court. The other 13 organizations signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about possible changes or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a financially unsustainable model was driven by the familiar goal for Jordan: Winning.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver improved our chances to win,” he testified, sharing that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, submitted in a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the timing of the contract signing demand didn’t sit well.

She said, Joe Gibbs first tried to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

“Don’t do this to us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s executives. She said France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, I have 30.”