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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his drive to win and status as a newcomer emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over perceived violations of competition laws.

Team Investment 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 business partner Curtis Polk and driver Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan stated in the Charlotte courtroom. “I was a new person, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport required examination from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

At issue is the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other professional sports with independent franchises, like the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. This deal was due to end in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for an hour and exited the courthouse to pandemonium, with fans and media clamoring for a view or a photo of the global icon.

Spearheading the Fight

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan said is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are details from September 2024. She recounted a hectic and tense period where the sanctioning body informed teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. The document consists of over a hundred pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in Nascar-sponsored races.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan explained that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports decided their only feasible option was to refuse a signature that 112-page package and litigate the matter. The other 13 organizations agreed to the terms.

The team owners approached Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was mostly about the familiar goal for Jordan: Success.

“Denny convinced me getting a third driver improved our chances to win,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter last year for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

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

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 executives. She said France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, I have 30.”