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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, stated that his drive to win and status as a newcomer emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

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

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan stated during testimony. “As a newcomer, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport it needed to be looked at from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

At issue is the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a franchise. This system mirrors other professional sports with independent franchises, such as the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for about sixty minutes and left the court to pandemonium, with onlookers and reporters vying for a view or a picture of the sports legend.

Leading the Legal Charge

Jordan’s 23XI is leading the full-court press along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to change a operating model Jordan contended is unlawful to keep two hands on the wheel.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are details from last September. Gibbs described a hectic and tense six hours where the racing circuit informed teams they had to sign a contract extension. The document consists of 112 pages detailing team compensation and a guaranteed spot 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 extensive document and litigate the matter. All other teams agreed to the terms.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

Ultimately, the resistance 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, sharing that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Gibbs described her request for permanent charters, which she said a formal letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the signature deadline was problematic.

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

“Don’t do this to us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s leadership. The response was, “Whether I have 20 charters, I have 20. If there are 30, I have 30.”