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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and status as a newcomer motivated his effort with 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over perceived violations of competition laws.

Financial Stakes and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared operational insights of his 23XI team, saying he put in $40m of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation launched with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said during testimony. “I was a new person, 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 Contract Pressure

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

Jordan was on the witness stand for about sixty minutes and left the court to a media frenzy, with fans and media clamoring for a glimpse or a photo of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan said is unlawful to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are events from September 2024. Gibbs described a hectic and tense period where the racing circuit informed teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. The document consists of over a hundred pages outlining team compensation and a guaranteed entry in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that his team and its ally decided their sole viable path was to refuse a signature that extensive document and litigate the matter. All other teams signed the agreement.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about possible changes or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

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

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver improved our chances to win,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter last year for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Gibbs described her request for permanent charters, submitted in a formal letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the contract signing demand was problematic.

She said, the team founder first tried to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader declined the request.

“Don’t do this to us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, that’s the number.”