Michael Jordan admits NASCAR lawsuit was ‘personal,’ says he was ‘all in’ to shake up sport

Michael Jordan wasn’t planning to back down from NASCAR. After a lengthy legal battle and four wins to start the 2026 Cup Series season, the 23XI Racing co-owner made it clear that his fight with the sport’s governing body went far beyond business.

In a sit-down interview with CBS’ Gayle King on Friday, Jordan admitted his lawsuit against NASCAR was deeply personal. The NBA legend was driven by both his competitive fire and a desire to change what he believed was a flawed system.

“100%,” Jordan said, asked if his intention was to shake up the sport. “I was all in. I was aggressively gonna win, you know. I became a competitor all over again.”

Alas, that mindset should come as no surprise. Jordan is widely regarded as one of the fiercest competitors in sports history, and he’s carried that same mentality into NASCAR ownership. Once he got a closer look at how the sport operates behind the scenes, he decided to act.

“I wouldn’t sue you if I didn’t think we had a good case,” Jordan added, regarding the courtroom drama between NASCAR and 23XI Racing. “We had a good case.”

According to Jordan, the deeper he got into NASCAR, the more he became uncomfortable with how the sport functions. That is particularly the case when it came to the balance between those running the show and those competing in it.

At first, his influence was limited. But as his understanding grew, so did his willingness to push back. That ultimately led to the lawsuit, a move Jordan acknowledged comes with significant risk.

Moreover, Jordan made it clear that he was prepared for any outcome, even if it meant losing the case or damaging his standing within the sport, all in the name of forcing change. His goal was simple: to make people “wake up.”

Even so, he admitted there were nerves involved, particularly with the idea of potentially taking the stand. But once the lawsuit became public, the approach shifted, and it was game on.

All told, that same competitive edge has helped fuel 23XI Racing’s rise in 2026. Led by Tyler Reddick, the organization is in the middle of one of the strongest starts in NASCAR history, with multiple wins already piling up early in the season. 

Reddick recently spoke about what it’s like competing under Jordan. He emphasized how that relentless drive trickles down through the entire team.

“Being able to share these moments with Michael is truly amazing,” Reddick said via The Pat McAfee Show. “But he’s such a competitive person in every aspect of life that it’s truly inspiring.”

That intensity has been applied off the track as well. For Jordan, this isn’t just about winning races anymore, it’s about reshaping the sport itself. If history is any indication, betting against him rarely ends well.