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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 motivated his effort with 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed operational insights of his racing venture, revealing he put in $40 million of his own funds into the Cup Series operation co-founded with business partner Curtis Polk and driver Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said 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 through a new lens.”

Central Issue: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 deal where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues with independent franchises, like the Charlotte Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for an hour and exited the courthouse to a media frenzy, with fans and media clamoring for a view or a picture of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan contended is breaking the law to keep two hands on the wheel.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are events from last September. Gibbs described a hectic and tense period where the racing circuit told teams they had to sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement spanned over a hundred pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports 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 reached out to Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. 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 mostly about the usual bottom line for Jordan: Success.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28m amid the legal dispute. “So I took the plunge.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Gibbs described her push for indefinite franchises, which she said a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the timing of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

According to her, Joe Gibbs first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France declined the request.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s executives. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, that’s the number.”