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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and novelty within the sport motivated his effort with 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over alleged violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, saying he invested $40m of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team launched with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan stated in the Charlotte courtroom. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I believed I could take on Nascar in its entirety. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at from a different view.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

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, like the NBA’s Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded charter membership renewals.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and exited the courthouse to a media frenzy, with fans and media 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 Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan contended is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are events from last September. Gibbs described a hectic and tense period where the racing circuit told teams they must sign a contract extension. This agreement consists of over a hundred pages detailing team compensation and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan explained that his team and its ally decided their sole viable path was to decline to sign that 112-page package and litigate the matter. All other teams signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin approached Nascar about possible changes or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Bottom Line: Winning

Ultimately, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was driven by the familiar goal for Jordan: Success.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver improved our chances to win,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28m amid the legal dispute. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Gibbs described her push for indefinite franchises, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She testified the pressure of the signature deadline was problematic.

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

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