"I look forward to going down in fire": Michael Jordan vows to go down fighting in high-stakes NASCAR charter war with 23XI Racing

Co-owner of 23XI Racing, Michael Jordan, is bringing the same competitive spirit he was known for in basketball to his battle against NASCAR. Jordan filed a lawsuit against the governing body in October 2024, citing its alleged monopolistic charter system.

On Thursday, Jordan, his attorney, and his team’s co-owner, Denny Hamlin, attended a court hearing related to the case. Speaking after the hearing, Jordan reassured fans, saying that he is prepared to fight until the end:

“The point is that the sport itself needs to continually change for the better, for the fans as well as for the teams, as well as for NASCAR, too. They understand that. So, I feel like we made a good statement today about that. I look forward to going down in fire. If I have to fight this to the end, for the betterment of the sport, I will do that.”

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In response to the lawsuit, NASCAR has initiated plans to reassign one of 23XI Racing’s disputed charters to a different team, pending court approval. If it materializes, it would result in a significant loss for Jordan’s team.

Even if Michael Jordan retains his charters for now, he will need to ensure that he wins the lawsuit. An unfavorable outcome could spell an end to his racing ambitions.

"Teams are going to regret not joining us": Michael Jordan's fiery texts surface amid battle with NASCAR

Thursday's court hearing brought much to light, including the mutual animosity harbored by NASCAR and 23XI Racing. Thursday's hearing led to expletive texts and emails shared by both sides being made public.

While both parties had a lot to say about each other, one text from Michael Jordan that stood out criticized teams that signed NASCAR’s charter agreement.

After Joe Gibbs signed NASCAR's charter deal, Jordan texted his partner, saying that he, along with 13 other teams, would regret it.

"Teams are going to regret not joining us," Jordan wrote.

With Gibbs signing the new charter agreement, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports remained the only teams not to reach an extension. A year later, both NASCAR and the two teams are now in court, bringing their long-running dispute into public view.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan