NASCAR trial Day 1: Michael Jordan arrives, Denny Hamlin cries

Jury selection can be an afterthought, but it proved notable on Day 1 of the NASCAR antitrust trial.

Largely, that’s because among those sitting in a federal courtroom in Charlotte, North Carolina, was Michael Jordan, the basketball legend whose 23XI Racing team has sued NASCAR.

Jenna Fryer, covering the trial for the Associated Press, tweeted, “Jordan’s presence in the courtroom was a factor: Among those dismissed from serving on the jury was a man who said he can’t be impartial because ‘I like Mike’ and another who said he had Michael Jordan posters on his walls growing up. A third dismissed juror pointed and winked at Jordan as he left the courtroom while the juror said they were a North Carolina fan but noted the football team at Jordan’s alma mater “aren’t doing too well right now’’ to which the retired star shook his head and laughed.’’

The courthouse is 140 miles southwest of Chapel Hill, where Jordan helped lead the University of North Carolina men’s basketball team to the national title in 1982 and starred for the Tar Heels from 1981 to 1984.

Will this create homecourt advantage for Jordan and the other plaintiffs – Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, co-owners of 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports?

Jeff Gluck of The Athletic tweeted, “Only three of 19 prospective said they were race fans (one passionate Hendrick Motorsports fan was dismissed).

NASCAR is the official state sport of North Carolina, long a hotbed of stock racing. That only three of 19 prospective jurors reflect a decline in reported revenue.

Yes, it’s a small sample size. Last month, Motorsport reported that, year-to-year, TV ratings for NASCAR Cup Series dropped 14 percent in 2025 season. Attendance also has dropped since the 2000s, but it’s hard to know exactly how much because NASCAR no longer releases the figures.

But back to the jury. It’s composed of six men and three women, according to Fryer.

Denny Hamlin cries on witness stand

Denny Hamlin got emotional on the witness stand, according to Fryer, who tweeted, “Denny Hamlin was first witness called — didn’t get through his testimony and will continue tomorrow. Began to cry and needed to compose himself minutes into testimony as he was asked how he got into racing and he reflected on his ill father.’’

On at least one other occasion this year, Hamlin grew emotional in public while talking about his father.

Hamlin was on the stand for about 40 minutes, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.

Jordan could end up on the witness stand, based on a tweet from Pockrass. Jordan is among the notable potential witnesses that also include NASCAR CEO Jim France, along with other NASCAR racing team owners Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske.

23XI Racing co-owners barred from courtroom

The trial will start with Jordan the sole representative of the ownership team in the court room. Judge Kenneth Bell barred Hamlin and Polk from the courtroom until their testimony, according to Gluck.

Tweeted Gluck: “The judge said he ‘very reluctantly’ ruled this way because ‘I really do wish you could be here.’ But NASCAR invoked a rule about only having one corporate representative per side (which is already Michael Jordan) and the judge said he’s wary of triggering a legal technicality over this (‘only want to try this case once’).’’

The judge said Hamlin and Polk could be in the courtroom for opening statements but leave until their testimony is completed, according to Gluck.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASCAR trial Day 1: Michael Jordan impacts jury selection