🔗 Share this article

The basketball icon, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and status as a newcomer emboldened his effort with 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over alleged violations of competition laws.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

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

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

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 deal where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues 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 teams renew their charters.

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

Leading the Legal Charge

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to change a business model Jordan contended is unlawful to keep two hands on the wheel.

For Jordan and 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 told teams they must sign a contract extension. The document consists of over a hundred pages outlining team compensation and a guaranteed entry in Nascar-sponsored races.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan explained that his team and its ally concluded their only feasible option was to refuse a signature that 112-page package and take the issue to court. All other teams signed the agreement.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar refused to engage, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

Ultimately, the pushback against what he saw as a unsustainable system was driven by the familiar goal for Jordan: Winning.

“Hamlin persuaded me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28 million amid the legal dispute. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She testified the pressure of the contract signing demand didn’t sit well.

According to her, Joe Gibbs first attempted 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. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If there are 30, I have 30.”