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Private messages involving NASCAR’s top executives have resurfaced as part of the filings tied to the 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports antitrust lawsuit. Fans have reacted sharply to the language used about the SRX Series and the drivers participating in it.
SRX was launched in 2021 by Tony Stewart, Ray Evernham, George Pyne, and Sandy Montag, with Evernham stepping away after the inaugural season. Donald Hawk later joined as CEO for the 2022–23 stretch. The blend of short-track venues, big-name rotations, and prime-time windows made it a growing alternative attraction during the stock-car offseason.
The texts, exchanged in June 2022, were part of the newly submitted exhibits shared this week and offer a raw look at how NASCAR viewed SRX’s rising visibility at that time. According to the recent filings, the executives weren't happy about active Cup owners Justin Marks and Denny Hamlin racing in SRX that summer.
The exchange between NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps and President Steve O'Donnell was highlighted by Bob Pockrass on X:
Phelps: “Oh great, another owner racing in SRX.” O’Donnell: “This is NASCAR. Pure and simple. Enough. We need legal to take a shot at this.” Phelps: “These guys are just plain stupid. Need to put a knife in this trash series.”One unnamed executive warned that the series “outrated Xfinity and Trucks last weekend.” O’Donnell pointed to the visibility of figures such as Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. as evidence that the competing property was gaining meaningful traction.
Other texts show worries that SRX could get to North Wilkesboro or Bowman Gray before NASCAR formalized its return, with O’Donnell warning:
“Wait till (Dale Earnhardt) Junior says he is running an event. Matter of time.”The language brought a wave of reactions to Pockrass’ post. One fan connected the remarks directly to Tony Stewart’s eventual exit from the stock-car ecosystem and his move to full-time NHRA competition in 2024, writing:
“No wonder Tony Stewart is done with them, they screwed him on the truck dirt racing and it seems they worked against him with SRX… NASCAR doesn’t like fun racing.”@bobpockrass No wonder Tony Stewart is done with them, they screwed him on the truck dirt racing and it seems they worked against him with SRX, both were fun racing, Nascar doesn't like fun racing, just show me the money
Others voiced similar frustration:
Oh, NASCAR is cooked. There’s no way they can argue they didn’t run a monopoly. They were trying to undermine or buy any series that threatened them.
Soooo.....Team OWNERS can't even race in other series. NASCAR put pressure on SRX to shut down. Fox Sports can't even outperform a small time weekday series. And NASCAR recognizes that Dale Jr can be a threat to NASCAR. Did I miss anything?
Some fans called for the immediate resignation of the leadership:
Really has to be asked now. How long before one or both are forced to step down. There’s no makeup that can cover this mess up. If this were any other sport and a Team GM/Coach/Commissioner said this, they’d be holding a resignation news conference the following day.
Smartest move Nascar could make, would be to get rid of the Steve and Steve show(clown show) and bring in Tony Stewart and Dale Jr to
Stewart’s soured relationship with the governing body and his intention to remain focused on drag racing eventually led to Stewart-Haas Racing’s dissolution.
Steve Phelps’ private messages about Richard Childress were revealed as part of the NASCAR lawsuit filings
Richard Childress talks to Commissioner Steve Phelps at Darlington Raceway. Source: GettyThe SRX-related thread was only one portion of the documents filed ahead of the December 1 start of the antitrust trial. The case will open with jury selection that morning, followed by an estimated 10-day schedule. These exhibits were submitted before the judge ruled on what can and can not be shown to jurors.
One of the notable sets included the August 2023 exchange between NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps and executive Brian Herbst, where Phelps used sharp language toward team owner Richard Childress during the media-rights negotiation period.
Bob Pockrass also shared that thread on X, where Phelps said:
“Did you give them some sense of how bad things are out there? Childress needs to be taken out back and flogged. He’s a stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR. “Did I mention Childress is an idiot. If he’s that angry (and apparently he is) sign your charter extension and sell. He’s not smart, is a dinosaur, and a malcontent. He’s worth a couple hundred million dollars — every dollar associated with NASCAR in some fashion. Total ass-clown,” Phelps added.The texts are unlikely to appear at trial because of their inflammatory tone rather than any material business purpose. Other filings touch on concerns about Justin Marks’ growing independent ventures, further illustrating the atmosphere in which the lawsuit developed.
With the Cup offseason underway and the legal hearing set to open on December 1, these documents have become a centerpiece in how the sport’s leadership dynamic was interpreted ahead of the trial.
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Edited by Hitesh Nigam
English (US)