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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and novelty within the sport emboldened his effort with 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing he put in $40 million of his personal wealth into the Nascar Cup series team co-founded with partner Polk and driver Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said during testimony. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport required examination from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

The heart of the case involves the expiration of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a franchise. The concept is similar to other major leagues with separately owned franchises, such as the NBA’s Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

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

Spearheading the Fight

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

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. She recounted a frantic and emotional six hours where the sanctioning body told teams they must sign a contract extension. This agreement consists of 112 pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in Nascar-sponsored races.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan explained that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports decided their sole viable path 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 negotiations. Nascar refused to engage, Jordan said.

The Bottom Line: Winning

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

“Denny convinced me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he purchased another franchise last year for $28m amid the legal dispute. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her push for indefinite franchises, submitted in a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the timing of the signature deadline was problematic.

She said, the team founder first attempted to call and persuade Nascar against forcing 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, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, that’s the number.”