LEGAL BATTLE
NBA legend Michael Jordan dragged into ugly Nascar fallout feud after shocking ‘illegal cartel’ allegations
Jordan's long-time business partner has been singled out in the lawsuit
NASCAR's feud with Michael Jordon is continuing to drag on.
The NBA legend isn't backing down from his legal battle with the racing series, which he is now labeling as "personal."
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Jordan's 23XI Racing and fellow team, Front Row Motorsports, filed a joint antitrust lawsuit against Nascar in October.
They alleged that Nascar's new charter system, the franchise model that guarantees teams payment and a spot in races, limits competition.
The two teams claim the charter system unfairly binds teams to the series, its tracks and its suppliers.
Front Row and 23XI specifically called chairman Jim France and his family "monopolistic bullies," while promising to fight back and "refuse to be victims."
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Nascar has since launched a countersuit against 23XI, Front Row, and Curtis Polk.
This caused Michael Jordan to personally joined in on the fight, standing by his partner in Polk.
"If you are coming after Curtis, you are coming after [me]," Jordan said through a spokesperson.
In the countersuit, Nascar accuses Jordan's team of being an "illegal cartel."
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Polk was singled out in the countersuit as a mastermind of the crusade from the two teams.
He allegedly threatened a boycott of the Daytona 500 qualifying races.
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Jordan didn't take kindly to the accusations against his business partner, and warned Nascar that everything Polk does is a representation of himself.
Polk owns a portion of 23XI alongside Jordan and Nascar legend Denny Hamlin.
"Curtis and MJ stand united," the spokesperson continued.
"His perspective is if you are coming after Curtis, you are coming after him.
"He doesn't look at this as just business. It's personal."
NASCAR attorney Christopher Yates told The Associated Press that he doesn't "think Mr. Polk really understands the sport."
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"He's done a lot of things that might work in the NBA or might be OK in the NBA but just are not appropriate in NASCAR."
Hamlin was also infuriated by the comments and came to the defense of Polk.
"That's like saying a chef doesn't know how to cook," he said.
"He's built Michael Jordan's empire for the last 30 years. The guy knows the business.
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"Curtis has just been fantastic for our team and certainly a pioneer, I believe, and a trailblazer for new ideas that our team uses every single time we hit the racetrack and how we do business."
A trial is slated for December between Nascar and 23XI, following the completion of the 2025 season.