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

Financial Stakes and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed operational insights of his 23XI team, revealing he put in $40m of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team co-founded with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said during testimony. “I was a new person, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar in its entirety. From my perspective, the sport required examination from a different view.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Renewal Demands

At issue is the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a franchise. This system mirrors other professional sports with separately owned franchises, such as the Charlotte Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded charter membership renewals.

Jordan testified 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.

Leading the Legal Charge

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

For Jordan and and Heather Gibbs, who testified before Jordan, are details from September 2024. She recounted a hectic and tense six hours where the racing circuit told teams they had to sign a contract extension. The document consists of 112 pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in every race.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan explained that his team and its ally concluded their sole viable path was to refuse a signature that 112-page package and take the issue to court. All other teams agreed to the terms.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar refused to engage, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

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

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he bought a third charter last year for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She said the timing of the signature deadline was problematic.

She said, Joe Gibbs first tried to call and talk Nascar out of forcing signatures, but CEO Jim France declined the request.

“Don’t do this to us,” Gibbs recounted was the message to Nascar’s leadership. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, that’s the number.”