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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 emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared operational insights of his 23XI team, saying he invested $40 million of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team launched with partner Polk and driver Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said during testimony. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar in its entirety. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

The heart of the case involves the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues with separately owned franchises, like the NBA’s Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. The agreement was due to end in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for about sixty minutes and left the court to pandemonium, with fans and media clamoring for a view or a picture of the sports legend.

Leading the Legal Charge

23XI Racing is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to change a operating model Jordan said is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are events from last September. She recounted a frantic and emotional period where the sanctioning body told teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. The document spanned 112 pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that his team and its ally decided their only feasible option was to decline to sign that 112-page package and litigate the matter. The other 13 organizations signed the agreement.

The team owners approached Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Bottom Line: 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

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, which she said a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the timing of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

According to her, the team founder first attempted to call and persuade Nascar against forcing signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Gibbs recounted Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s executives. The response was, “Whether I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, that’s the number.”