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

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared operational insights of his 23XI team, revealing he put in $40 million of his personal wealth into the Nascar Cup series team launched with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny 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 in its entirety. From my perspective, the sport required examination from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

The heart of the case involves the expiration of a 2016 agreement where Nascar granted each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues with separately owned franchises, such as the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on charter membership renewals.

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

Spearheading the Fight

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to change a operating model Jordan said is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are events from last September. She recounted a hectic and tense period where the racing circuit informed teams they had to sign a contract extension. The document consists of over a hundred pages outlining team compensation and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan said that his team and its ally concluded their only feasible option was to decline to sign that 112-page package and litigate the matter. All other teams agreed to the terms.

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

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

But in the end, the pushback against what he saw as a unsustainable system was mostly about the usual bottom line for Jordan: Success.

“Hamlin persuaded me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he purchased another franchise late in 2024 for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Heather Gibbs detailed her push for indefinite franchises, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the contract signing demand didn’t sit well.

She said, Joe Gibbs first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of 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, “Whether I have 20 charters, I have 20. If there are 30, that’s the number.”