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The basketball icon, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and status as a newcomer motivated his push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of competition laws.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

The owner disclosed operational insights of his 23XI team, saying he put in $40m of his own funds into the Cup Series operation launched with business partner Curtis Polk and driver Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “I was a new person, I wasn’t afraid. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport required examination through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Renewal Demands

The heart of the case involves the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a franchise. The concept is similar to other professional sports with separately owned franchises, like the NBA’s Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

Jordan was on the witness stand for about sixty minutes and left the court to a media frenzy, with onlookers and reporters vying for a view or a photo of the global icon.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan contended is breaking the law to keep two hands on the wheel.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are details from last September. She recounted a frantic and emotional six hours where the racing circuit told teams they had to sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement spanned 112 pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said 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 reached out to Nascar about possible changes or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Winning

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was driven by the usual bottom line for Jordan: Winning.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter last year for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Gibbs described her request for permanent charters, which she said a written letter to Nascar. She testified the timing of the contract signing demand was problematic.

She said, the team founder first attempted to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

“Don’t do this to us,” Heather Gibbs said was the message to Nascar’s executives. She said France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, I have 30.”