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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his drive to win and novelty within the sport motivated his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing he put in $40m of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team co-founded with business partner Curtis Polk and driver Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said during testimony. “As a newcomer, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport required examination from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

The heart of the case involves the expiration of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues with separately owned franchises, such as the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for about sixty minutes and exited the courthouse to a media frenzy, with onlookers and reporters vying for a view or a picture of the global icon.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to change a operating model Jordan contended is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are details from September 2024. She recounted a frantic and emotional six hours where the racing circuit informed teams they must sign a contract extension. The document consists of 112 pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

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. The other 13 organizations signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about possible changes or extension options. Nascar refused to engage, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Victory

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

“Denny convinced me adding a third car improved our chances to win,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter last year for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

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

She said, Joe Gibbs first tried to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

“Don’t do this to us,” Gibbs recounted was the message to Nascar’s leadership. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, I have 30.”