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The basketball icon, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, stated that his competitive side and novelty within the sport emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his racing venture, saying he put in $40m 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 wasn’t afraid. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport required examination from a different view.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

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

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

Spearheading the Fight

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

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are events from last September. Gibbs described a hectic and tense six hours where the racing circuit told teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. The document spanned 112 pages detailing team compensation and a guaranteed spot in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that his team and its ally decided their sole viable path was to decline to sign that extensive document and take the issue to court. All other teams agreed to the terms.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin approached Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

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

“Denny convinced me adding a third car improved our chances to win,” he said, sharing that he purchased another franchise late in 2024 for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

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

She said, the team founder first tried to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

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