🔗 Share this article

Michael Jeffrey Jordan, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and novelty within the sport emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over alleged violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed operational insights of his racing venture, revealing he put in $40 million of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation co-founded with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan stated during testimony. “I was a new person, I wasn’t afraid. I felt I could challenge Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport required examination from a different view.”

Central Issue: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues with independent franchises, such as the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on charter membership renewals.

Jordan testified for about sixty minutes and left the court to pandemonium, with fans and media clamoring for a glimpse or a photo of the global icon.

Leading the Legal Charge

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

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are events from last September. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional six hours where the sanctioning body informed teams they had to sign a contract extension. The document consists of 112 pages outlining team compensation and a guaranteed spot in every race.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan explained that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports concluded 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.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about possible changes or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

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

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he purchased another franchise late in 2024 for $28m amid the legal dispute. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Gibbs described her request for permanent charters, submitted in a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the timing of the signature deadline was problematic.

She said, Joe Gibbs first tried to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Heather Gibbs said was the message to Nascar’s executives. The response was, “Whether I have 20 charters, I have 20. If there are 30, that’s the number.”