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The basketball icon, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and status as a newcomer motivated his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Financial Stakes and a Will to Win

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his racing venture, revealing he invested $40 million of his own funds into the Cup Series operation co-founded with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

Central Issue: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

The heart of the case involves the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar provided each team a franchise. The concept is similar to other professional sports with separately owned franchises, like the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

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

Leading the Legal Charge

Jordan’s 23XI is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to change a operating model Jordan said is unlawful to keep two hands on the wheel.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional period where the racing circuit informed teams they must sign a contract extension. This agreement spanned over a hundred pages outlining team compensation and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports concluded their sole viable path was to decline to sign that extensive document and take the issue to court. The other 13 organizations signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

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

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

Account from the Gibbs Family

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

According to her, the team founder first attempted to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France declined the request.

“Don’t do this to us,” Heather Gibbs said was the message to Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, that’s the number.”