The first day of the NASCAR trial began on December 1, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The NASCAR lawsuit was brought by 23XI Racing, co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, along with Front Row Motorsports. They argue that NASCAR acts like a monopoly through track deals, the charter system, and rules that they say limit how teams earn and grow. NASCAR and Jim France deny those claims.
Day 1 included jury selection, new courtroom rules, opening statements, and emotional testimony from Hamlin. The courtroom was packed, and the presence of Jordan and top NASCAR leaders showed how serious this NASCAR trial has become.
Jury Selection Sets Tone for the NASCAR Trial
More than 30 possible jurors were screened for the NASCAR trial, and many were dismissed for strong personal views. Two were removed because they said they could not be fair toward Michael Jordan. One even said, “I like Mike,” while giving a small fist pump toward him, as reported by Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. Another person winked at Jordan while leaving.
During questioning, the room shifted once Jordan’s name was mentioned. Reporters noted that jurors suddenly realized the NASCAR lawsuit was bigger than they expected. Many watched Jordan closely as he sat in the front row wearing a plaid sport coat and a diamond earring. Bianchi wrote that Jordan became “the orbital figure in the room,” with several jurors taking quick looks at him whenever they could.
NASCAR leaders, including Jim France, sat with the defense, and the courtroom was so full that extra seating was set up.
Judge Bell also made a key decision for the NASCAR trial. “Judge did rule Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk can’t be in the courtroom for other witness testimony until they do their testimony… Michael Jordan is the 23XI designated representative; he must follow that request, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports reported.”
Pockrass added that the judge wanted to avoid any mistake that could force a second NASCAR trial. “Judge said his goal is to have this case go to trial only once, indicating he wasn’t going to risk an appeals court saying he must have a new trial if he ruled to allow Hamlin and Polk to hear other witnesses before their testimony.”
Opening Arguments Highlight the Stakes of the NASCAR Lawsuit
Opening statements in the NASCAR lawsuit brought quick tension. Judge Bell said both sides gave comments that had “impermissible arguments” and blocked them from using exhibits during the opening phase.
Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney for the teams, argued that NASCAR used track exclusivity and the charter system to block competition. He said about three-quarters of teams lost money in 2024. He pointed out that Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins has never made a profit in 21 years.
Kessler also said a study valued NASCAR at 5 billion dollars and claimed the France family collected more than 400 million dollars over three years, details also mentioned by Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. He added that Jordan helped bring in 45 million dollars a year in sponsorship for 23XI, but the business model still made profits difficult.
NASCAR attorney John Stephenson Jr. said the NASCAR lawsuit “is not about anticompetitive conduct.” He said the charter system raised team value, with charters now worth more than 45 million dollars. He said the Next Gen car cut production costs by as much as 45 percent and that NASCAR met all payment obligations with teams.
Denny Hamlin’s Testimony Adds Emotion to the NASCAR Trial
Denny Hamlin was the first witness in the NASCAR trial. He became emotional while talking about choosing racing over joining his father’s business. “Hamlin was super emotional and burst into tears in the opening minutes of his testimony as he recalled his path to the NAACAR Cup Series as a driver, according to Tobby Christie of Racing America.”
Denny said, “If I can’t be successful with Michael as a partner, I knew this was never going to work,” and spoke about his father’s health.
Hamlin said the team’s Airspeed shop costs 35 million dollars, their technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing costs 8 million dollars each year, and running one full-time car costs about 20 million dollars. Bianchi and Gluck in The Athletic said these numbers offered “a rare peek behind the curtain” into the financial reality behind the NASCAR lawsuit.
Hamlin will continue his testimony on Day 2 as both sides push to shape the future of the sport through this major NASCAR trial.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Day 1 of the NASCAR Trial: Key Moments From the High-Stakes NASCAR Lawsuit appeared first on Heavy Sports.