Overview
- Texts from August 2023 show Phelps deriding Childress with terms such as “stupid redneck,” “idiot,” and “ungrateful dinosaur,” and saying he should be “taken out back and flogged.”
- The messages were sent during charter and media-rights discussions, with exchanges directed to NASCAR executive Brian Herbst and, in one thread, including Steve O’Donnell.
- Some of the messages were deemed too inflammatory for jurors but entered the public file as exhibits tied to the ongoing antitrust lawsuit.
- The suit by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports challenges the charter system’s limits on competition and revenue control, while NASCAR has filed counterclaims alleging team collusion.
- Revelations have drawn swift backlash inside the sport, with owners urging resolution and filings noting the case could head to trial in 2026, including a letter from Joe Gibbs seeking court-facilitated progress.