More internal messages from NASCAR executives have continued to surface in the 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports antitrust case and the latest batch could be the most damaging yet. This may be a point of no return, or at least one that fans cannot ignore.
Things started a day ago with some pretty weird texts mocking the Superstar Racing experience, but it got worse from there: they are now facing direct insults aimed at team owners, enormous mistrust within the company and even verbal attacks against NASCAR fans.
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The latest submission to lawyers – a 10-page document filled with private conversations – shows a governing body growing increasingly frustrated with anyone who dares to disagree with it, and it’s not exactly hiding its hostility.
A few posts are revolving around Richard Childress – now it seems his claims that NASCAR has been working against RCR for years are truer than ever. In some private texts, NASCAR President Steve Phelps called Childress a “fucking stupid redneck who made his fortune off of NASCAR,” which kind of sums up the tone. He also called him an “idiot”, and later said “this dinosaur and a pain in the ass – a total fucking clown”.
His executive vice president Brian Herbst echoed the idiotic line and said teams were short-sighted and only cared about themselves. Phelps then added that if the owners didn’t like the way things were going, they should just “get rid of the charter and get the hell out of here.”
Also read:: New Leaked Texts Expose NASCAR Leadership Ahead of Trial
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Latest NASCAR posts target Richard Childress and mock fans
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
These comments came at a very critical time – right in the middle of the charter negotiations and look like a pretty clear picture of leaders dismissing and belittling all key stakeholders.
A separate exchange between Jeff Dickerson, co-owner and CEO of Spire Motorsports, and an unknown person, adds a little more weirdness in the story. They were discussing his appearance on the podcast and whether Heather Gibbs (co-owner of Joe Gibbs Racing) had been “planted” on him and also talked about her comments that could “spoil the whole thing,” but the real kicker came at the end of their conversation when the stranger said, “Unfortunately, most of our fans aren’t really high-level readers.”
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It was a throwaway line, but it’s pretty shocking when you put it next to Phelps’ insults toward a Hall of Fame team owner. Between calling Childress a clown and joking that fans are basically too stupid to read, these leaked messages show a pretty humiliating attitude going on behind closed doors.
These messages fit a pattern we’ve seen in court documents: NASCAR executives being defensive and aggressive toward drivers, team owners, rival series and even now, fans.
In a case about whether NASCAR uses its power to control every aspect of the company, these private conversations are going to be a real problem for the organization. The trial will determine whether NASCAR’s governance crosses the line and violates the law. But public reaction is already changing rapidly. People are starting to say the same thing among the fans.
Fans are at their breaking point, saying that between the attacks on Richard Childress and the “not all of our fans read” comment, they are completely done with the sport, calling NASCAR management “uptown suit idiots” and adage “NASCAR does not care about fans, drivers, owners or the development of the sport.”
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And these comments become the norm. The trial is scheduled for December 1, but if nothing else, Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan may have just done the sport some good by bringing these issues into the open.
Also read:: Can NASCAR survive the NASCAR Charter after judge’s warning?
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