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The basketball icon, 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 confront Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Financial Stakes and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed operational insights of his 23XI team, revealing he invested $40 million of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team co-founded with business partner Curtis Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan stated during testimony. “I was a new person, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar in its entirety. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

The heart of the case involves the end 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 NFL’s Panthers. This deal was due to end in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for an hour and left the court to pandemonium, with fans and media clamoring for a glimpse or a photo of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push 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 a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are events from September 2024. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional six hours where the racing circuit told teams they had to sign a contract extension. The document spanned 112 pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports decided their sole viable path was to decline to sign that 112-page package and take the issue to court. All other teams agreed to the terms.

The team owners approached Nascar about possible changes or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Victory

Ultimately, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was driven by the usual bottom line for Jordan: Winning.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver improved our chances to win,” he said, noting that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28 million amid the legal dispute. “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 said the pressure of the contract signing demand was problematic.

According to her, the team founder first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France declined the request.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Heather Gibbs said was the message to Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, that’s the number.”