If you ask any basketball fan, they will tell you that Michael Jordan is one of the most competitive players they have ever seen in the NBA. But the five-time NBA MVP is not just a winner on the basketball court; he has proven himself a force in the courtroom as well.
After acing the legal battle against NASCAR, Jordan has recently revealed why he risked it all against the stock car racing body.
Why Michael Jordan and 23XI Racing Sued NASCAR
Jordan owns 23XI Racing with driver Denny Hamlin. This team is doing really well this season. They have won four out of six races. They even won the Daytona 500. The wins on the track are not the only thing Jordan is happy about right now.
Before the season started, Jordan and 23XI Racing settled a court case against NASCAR. This is a massive victory.
It started with the charter system. NASCAR introduced this system in 2016 as a franchise model, meaning 36 teams would get a spot in every NASCAR Cup Series race.
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This sounded like a good idea on paper. However, Jordan says that NASCAR Cup Series teams did not really benefit from it.
In October 2024, the NASCAR teams 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed a lawsuit against NASCAR, claiming that the NASCAR system was not fair to all teams. Jordan said that when he learned more about NASCAR, he saw problems with the NASCAR system that he could not ignore.
“When I got into the sport obviously a lot — as I learned, there was a lot of things that I wasn’t really happy about,” he told CBS Mornings co-anchor Gayle King. “This sport was not set up for success long term for the individuals that’s involved in the sport.”
His core frustration? The people actually putting on the show weren’t being fairly compensated.
“[NASCAR executives] were making a good living. And the people that were putting on the show was not getting the type of recognition,” Jordan said.
What makes Jordan’s stance remarkable is how far he was willing to go. He said he was prepared to lose the lawsuit and get kicked out of the sport entirely if that’s what it took to spark real change.
Jordan really loves NASCAR, so that is a pretty bold thing for him to say. The NBA legend was quick to say that this is not some company trying to take over NASCAR in a mean way.
“I’ve been a fan. It’s not like I just woke up and said, ‘You know what? I’m going to go and I’m going to attack NASCAR,’” he said. “I’ve been involved in NASCAR. I’ve been a supporter for NASCAR for a long period of time.”
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But love for the sport didn’t mean he was willing to stay quiet about what he believed was broken.
When it came time to testify in court, Jordan admitted he felt nervous. That’s not a word most people associate with him. But once he decided to file, something clicked.
“I became a competitor all over again,” he said, adding he wouldn’t have sued without a strong case. He was, in his words, “all in.”
In December 2025, NASCAR reached a settlement with the teams. The agreement gave all teams evergreen charters with improved terms, a significant structural shift for the sport.
NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France welcomed the resolution. “This outcome gives all parties the flexibility and confidence to continue delivering unforgettable racing moments for our fans,” he said in a statement.
The full financial details weren’t disclosed. But Jordan made his goal clear from the start. He wasn’t just after a check. He was after equity and a better future for everyone in the sport.