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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and status as a newcomer emboldened 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, saying he invested $40m of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation co-founded with business partner Curtis Polk and driver Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan stated in the Charlotte courtroom. “I was a new person, I wasn’t afraid. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at from a different view.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Renewal Demands

The heart of the case involves the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar granted each team a franchise. This system mirrors other major leagues with separately owned franchises, like the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan was on the witness stand for about sixty minutes and left the court to a media frenzy, with onlookers and reporters vying for a glimpse or a photo of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

23XI Racing is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan said is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are events from September 2024. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional period where the racing circuit informed teams they had to sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement spanned 112 pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot 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 litigate the matter. All other teams signed the agreement.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about possible changes or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

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

“Denny convinced me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he said, noting that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28 million amid the legal dispute. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the signature deadline was problematic.

According to her, Joe Gibbs first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of forcing signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

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