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The basketball icon, introducing himself formally in a federal courtroom 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 competition laws.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing he invested $40m of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation launched with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny 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 required examination from a different view.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

The heart of the case involves the expiration of a 2016 agreement where Nascar granted each team a franchise. The concept is similar to other major leagues with independent franchises, like the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on charter membership renewals.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and left the court to pandemonium, with fans and media vying for a view or a photo of the global icon.

Spearheading the Fight

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

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who testified before Jordan, are details from September 2024. She recounted a hectic and tense period where the racing circuit told teams they had to sign a charter agreement extension. The document consists of 112 pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in every race.

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 signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin approached Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar refused to engage, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

Ultimately, the pushback against what he saw as a financially unsustainable model was driven by the usual bottom line for Jordan: Winning.

“Denny convinced me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28m 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 pressure of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

According to her, the team founder first tried to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

“Don’t do this to us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s executives. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, I have 30.”