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The basketball icon, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, stated that his drive to win and status as a newcomer motivated his push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, saying he invested $40 million of his personal wealth into the Nascar Cup series team co-founded with partner Polk and driver Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan stated during testimony. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I believed I could take on Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

The heart of the case involves the expiration of a 2016 deal 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. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for about sixty minutes and exited the courthouse to pandemonium, with fans and media vying for a view or a photo of the global icon.

Leading the Legal Charge

23XI Racing is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a business model Jordan said is breaking the law to keep two hands on the wheel.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are events from September 2024. She recounted a frantic and emotional six hours where the sanctioning body told teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. The document consists of 112 pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports concluded their sole viable path was to decline to sign that extensive document and take the issue to court. The other 13 organizations agreed to the terms.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about possible changes or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Victory

Ultimately, the pushback against what he saw as a financially unsustainable model was driven by the usual bottom line for Jordan: Success.

“Denny convinced me getting a third driver improved our chances to win,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Gibbs described her request for permanent charters, which she said a written letter to Nascar. She said the timing of the contract signing demand didn’t sit well.

She said, Joe Gibbs first tried to call and talk Nascar out of forcing signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s leadership. The response was, “Whether I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, that’s the number.”