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The basketball icon, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, stated that his competitive side and status as a newcomer motivated his push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his racing venture, revealing he put in $40 million of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation co-founded with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said during testimony. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I believed I could take on Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

Central Issue: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

The heart of the case involves the expiration of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a franchise. This system mirrors other professional sports with separately owned franchises, like the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and exited the courthouse to pandemonium, with fans and media vying for a view or a photo of the sports legend.

Leading the Legal Charge

Jordan’s 23XI is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to change a business model Jordan contended is unlawful to keep two hands on the wheel.

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are details from September 2024. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional period where the racing circuit told teams they must sign a contract extension. The document consists of 112 pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that his team and its ally decided their only feasible option was to refuse a signature that extensive document and litigate the matter. All other teams signed the agreement.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about possible changes or negotiations. Nascar refused to engage, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Winning

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was mostly about the usual bottom line for Jordan: Success.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he said, sharing that he purchased another franchise late in 2024 for $28 million amid the legal dispute. “So I took the plunge.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her push for indefinite franchises, which she said a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the timing of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

According to her, the team founder first tried to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

“Don’t do this to us,” Heather Gibbs said was the message to Nascar’s leadership. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, that’s the number.”