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The basketball icon, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, stated that his drive to win and novelty within the sport emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of competition laws.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his racing venture, saying he invested $40 million of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation co-founded with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “As a newcomer, I wasn’t afraid. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

At issue is the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other professional sports with separately owned franchises, such as the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was due to end in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

Jordan was on the witness stand for about sixty minutes and exited the courthouse to pandemonium, with fans and media vying for a glimpse or a picture of the global icon.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is at the forefront of the push along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to overhaul a business model Jordan said is unlawful to keep two hands on the wheel.

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who testified before Jordan, are details from September 2024. Gibbs described a hectic and tense six hours where the sanctioning body told teams they had to sign a contract extension. This agreement consists of 112 pages detailing team compensation and a guaranteed entry in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that his team and its ally decided their only feasible option was to refuse a signature that 112-page package and take the issue to court. All other teams signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar refused to engage, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

But in the end, the pushback against what he saw as a financially unsustainable model was driven by the familiar goal for Jordan: Winning.

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

Account from the Gibbs Family

Gibbs described her push for indefinite franchises, which she said a written letter to Nascar. She testified the pressure of the contract signing demand didn’t sit well.

She said, the team founder first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

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