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

Financial Stakes and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing 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 during testimony. “As a newcomer, I wasn’t afraid. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

Central Issue: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

At issue is the end 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 Charlotte Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on charter membership renewals.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and left the court to pandemonium, with onlookers and reporters vying for a glimpse or a photo of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

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

For Jordan and and Heather Gibbs, who testified before Jordan, are events from last September. She recounted a hectic and tense period where the sanctioning body told teams they had to sign a contract extension. The document consists of over a hundred pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that his team and its ally decided their only feasible option was to decline to sign that extensive document and litigate the matter. All other teams signed the agreement.

The team owners approached Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar refused to engage, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

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

“Hamlin persuaded me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he said, sharing that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She testified the pressure of the contract signing demand was problematic.

According to her, Joe Gibbs first attempted to call and persuade Nascar against forcing signatures, but Nascar’s leader declined the request.

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