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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, as he cordially introduced himself in a federal courtroom 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 competition laws.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared operational insights of his racing venture, saying he put in $40m of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation co-founded with business partner Curtis Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan stated in the Charlotte courtroom. “As a newcomer, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar in its entirety. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

At issue is the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted 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 charter membership renewals.

Jordan testified for an hour and left the court to a media frenzy, with onlookers and reporters vying for a view or a picture of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is at the forefront of the push along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to change a business model Jordan said is unlawful to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are events from last September. She recounted a hectic and tense six hours where the racing circuit told teams they must sign a contract extension. This agreement spanned over a hundred pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that his team and its ally decided 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 possible changes or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was mostly about the usual bottom line for Jordan: Success.

“Hamlin persuaded me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he bought a third charter last year for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, which she said a formal letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the contract signing demand didn’t sit well.

She said, the team founder first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France declined the request.

“Don’t do this to 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, I have 30.”