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The basketball icon, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and novelty within the sport emboldened his effort with 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of competition laws.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing he invested $40 million of his own funds into the Cup Series operation co-founded with partner Polk and driver Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan stated during testimony. “As a newcomer, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Renewal Demands

At issue is the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. The concept is similar to other professional sports with independent franchises, such as the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded charter membership renewals.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and left the court to a media frenzy, with fans and media clamoring for a glimpse or a picture of the sports legend.

Leading the Legal Charge

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a business model Jordan said is unlawful 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 period where the sanctioning body told teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement spanned over a hundred pages outlining team compensation and a guaranteed entry in every race.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan said that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports decided their sole viable path was to refuse a signature that extensive document 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 negotiations. Nascar refused to engage, Jordan said.

The Bottom Line: Winning

Ultimately, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was mostly about the familiar goal for Jordan: Winning.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, noting that he purchased another franchise 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 testified the timing of the signature deadline was problematic.

She said, Joe Gibbs first tried to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France declined the request.

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