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Michael Jeffrey Jordan, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his drive to win and status as a newcomer motivated his push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over perceived violations of competition laws.

Financial Stakes and a Will to Win

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his racing venture, saying he put in $40 million of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation launched with partner Polk and driver Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan stated during testimony. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I believed I could take on Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport required examination through a new lens.”

Central Issue: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

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 independent 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 exited the courthouse to pandemonium, with fans and media clamoring for a glimpse or a photo of the global icon.

Spearheading the Fight

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

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. She recounted a hectic and tense six hours where the sanctioning body informed teams they had to sign a contract extension. This agreement spanned 112 pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in every race.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan explained that his team and its ally concluded their sole viable path was to decline to sign 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 negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

Ultimately, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was mostly about 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 $28m amid the legal dispute. “So I dove in.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

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

She said, the team founder first tried to call and talk Nascar out of forcing signatures, but Nascar’s leader declined the request.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Gibbs recounted Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s leadership. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, I have 30.”