🔗 Share this article

Michael Jeffrey Jordan, as he cordially introduced himself in a federal courtroom on Friday, stated that his drive to win and novelty within the sport emboldened his effort with 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing he put in $40 million of his own funds into the Cup Series operation launched with business partner Curtis Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “As a newcomer, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

At issue is the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a franchise. This system mirrors other professional sports with separately owned franchises, such as the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded charter membership renewals.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and exited the courthouse to pandemonium, with onlookers and reporters clamoring for a view or a photo of the sports legend.

Leading the Legal Charge

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

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional period where the sanctioning body told teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. The document consists of over a hundred pages detailing team compensation and a guaranteed spot in every race.

Choosing Litigation

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

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

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

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

“Denny convinced me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he said, noting that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Gibbs described her push for indefinite franchises, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She testified the pressure of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

According to her, Joe Gibbs first tried to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, I have 30.”