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

Team Investment and a Will to Win

The owner disclosed operational insights of his 23XI team, revealing he put in $40 million of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team co-founded with partner Polk and driver Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan stated in the Charlotte courtroom. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I believed I could take on Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport required examination from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

At issue is the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues with independent franchises, like the Charlotte Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and exited the courthouse to a media frenzy, with fans and media clamoring for a glimpse or a photo of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

23XI Racing is leading the full-court press along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to change a business model Jordan contended is breaking the law to keep two hands on the wheel.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are events from last September. She recounted a frantic and emotional six hours where the sanctioning body informed teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. The document consists of 112 pages outlining team compensation and a guaranteed spot in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports concluded their sole viable path was to decline to sign that extensive document and litigate the matter. All other teams agreed to the terms.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar refused to engage, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Winning

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

“Denny convinced me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he said, noting that he bought a third charter last year for $28m amid the legal dispute. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

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

She said, the team founder first attempted to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader declined the request.

“Don’t do this to us,” Gibbs recounted Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s executives. She said France replied, “Whether I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, that’s the number.”