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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 “challenge” Nascar over alleged violations of competition laws.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

Jordan shared operational insights 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 driver Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said during testimony. “As a newcomer, I wasn’t afraid. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport required examination through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 agreement where Nascar granted each team a “charter”. The concept is similar to other professional sports with separately owned franchises, such as the Charlotte Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for an hour and exited the courthouse to a media frenzy, with fans and media vying for a view or a picture of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

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

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are details from September 2024. Gibbs described a hectic and tense six hours where the racing circuit informed teams they had to sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement spanned over a hundred pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that his team and its ally decided their only feasible option was to decline to sign that extensive document and take the issue to court. All other teams signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin approached Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar refused to engage, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

But in the end, the pushback against what he saw as a financially unsustainable model was mostly about the familiar goal for Jordan: Success.

“Denny convinced me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he said, noting that he purchased another franchise last year for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, which she said a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the pressure of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

According to her, Joe Gibbs first attempted to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “Whether I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, that’s the number.”