🔗 Share this article

Michael Jeffrey Jordan, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, stated that his drive to win and novelty within the sport motivated his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over alleged violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing he invested $40m of his own funds into the Cup Series operation co-founded with business partner Curtis Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “As a newcomer, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar in its entirety. From my perspective, the sport required examination from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Renewal Demands

At issue is the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar granted each team a franchise. This system mirrors other professional sports with independent franchises, like the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. The agreement was due to end in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

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

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 contended is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who testified before Jordan, are events from last September. She recounted a hectic and tense six hours where the sanctioning body told teams they had to sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement consists of over a hundred pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan said that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports decided their sole viable path was to refuse a signature that 112-page package and litigate the matter. All other teams signed the agreement.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about possible changes or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

But in the end, the pushback against what he saw as a unsustainable system 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 dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her push for indefinite franchises, submitted in a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the pressure of the signature deadline was problematic.

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

“Please don’t force this on us,” Gibbs recounted was the message to Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “Whether I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, that’s the number.”