Overview
- Messages between NASCAR president Steve Phelps and executive Brian Herbst included phrases such as "stupid redneck" and calls for Childress to be "taken out back and flogged."
- The exchange occurred on December 13, 2023, hours after Childress criticized charter talks and costs during a SiriusXM NASCAR Radio interview.
- Richard Childress Racing called the remarks "insensitive" and "defamatory" and said it is actively exploring defamation claims and other legal options.
- The texts were produced in discovery in lawsuits by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports alleging NASCAR’s charter system is anticompetitive, with trial set for Dec. 1.
- Most teams signed charter extensions in September 2024, while 23XI and Front Row declined and pursued litigation that led to the disclosure.