Fresh revelations from leaked text messages have thrown the ongoing Tony Stewart NASCAR leadership conflict into sharp focus, revealing the depth of turmoil and rivalry at the heart of the sport. The controversy stems from the exposure of internal discussions among NASCAR executives, highlighting their anxiety over the emergence of rival racing competitions led by legends like Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The latest developments come as private communications between top NASCAR officials were made public during the charter dispute lawsuit involving 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and the sanctioning body itself. The texts, included in legal filings, reveal how intensely worried NASCAR executive leadership was about external series that posed unexpected threats to their established control.
Court Documents Reveal NASCAR’s Deep Fears
NASCAR has always been known for its fierce on-track competition, but recent legal wranglings are exposing a different sort of battle behind closed doors. As negotiations over the future of team charters grew tense during 2022 and 2023, private text exchanges between NASCAR President Steve Phelps, Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell, and other key executives surfaced as part of evidence compiled for court proceedings.
These communications reveal that at the same time as legal debates were intensifying, NASCAR leadership began to closely monitor two fast-rising projects led by veteran drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was reinvigorating the CARS Tour, adding excitement to late-model racing and bringing historic venues like North Wilkesboro Speedway back to prominence. Meanwhile, Tony Stewart joined forces with Ray Evernham to launch the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX)—a Thursday night spectacle gathering racing stars, current Cup drivers, and dirt track champions in a format tailor-made for prime-time television.
Initially, both ventures appeared to be just passion projects meant to enrich the racing scene. However, internal reactions at NASCAR headquarters painted a far more alarmed picture. According to the texts, NASCAR’s hierarchy perceived these efforts not merely as side projects but as direct threats capable of drawing away viewers, sponsors, and fan loyalty from their main product.
Some interesting texts revealed tonight … the text reaction of Phelps and O’Donnell when they found out Denny Hamlin was running SRX … (tonight is the deadline for redacted exhibits to be filed for exhibits used in the summary judgment rulings). pic.twitter.com/EE6WURbibY— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 22, 2025
As journalist Bob Pockrass noted, the internal exchanges specifically mention the alarm sparked when active Cup Series owner Denny Hamlin decided to race in SRX, amplifying leadership’s fear about the new competition’s appeal. The texts went so far as to label SRX as a “trash series” and discussed the need to “put a knife in it,” with top brass even strategizing about potential legal action to stifle the SRX’s growth.
Personal Anxieties and Power Plays Inside NASCAR
Further context from these messages reveals that the motivations behind NASCAR leadership’s aggressive stance were not solely business-oriented. Behind public smiles and statements, key executives privately admitted to frustration and resentment toward the popularity of SRX and its ability to occasionally surpass the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series in television ratings.
Steve O’Donnell’s words about putting on
“fake smiles in public while we scheme and we win”
indicate that the tensions ran far deeper than simple financial risk. Leadership feared that figures such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart, revered by the NASCAR fan base, were not merely innovators but leaders of a movement that could redefine the hierarchy of American stock car racing.
The text exchanges also detail strategies for reclaiming historic tracks, including North Wilkesboro and Bowman Gray Stadium, to prevent them from serving as showcases for rival leagues. According to the records, NASCAR’s leaders planned to preempt projects from iconic drivers—interpreting these endeavors as existential threats that demanded strong countermeasures.
These sharp internal reactions underscore just how influential the independent ventures of Earnhardt Jr. with the CARS Tour and Stewart and Evernham with SRX were in shifting perceptions and challenging NASCAR’s traditional dominance.
Fan Backlash and Industry Embarrassment
The leaking of these conversations sent shockwaves through the fanbase and prompted open mockery on social media and sports forums. The tone of many responses reveals not just disappointment in the leadership, but also astonishment at how deeply NASCAR’s top executives had internalized concerns about competition from within their own alumni.
They were legitimately mad that SRX was doing cool kid shit.
The rawness of the leaked messages, which used biting language to describe SRX and castigated Cup team members for joining it, resonated with many fans and analysts. Posts across platforms referenced the “trash series” insult and the overt plotting to curb SRX’s appeal, with some observers viewing the entire episode as a sign of insecurity and misplaced priorities within NASCAR’s main office.
The direct challenge presented by SRX was more than a sideshow. Its innovative format—combining motorsports legends, engaging race formats, and television spectacle—drew substantial cable viewer numbers at times, even surpassing NASCAR’s own developmental series in certain ratings windows. Leadership’s concerns were not unfounded, as rivals’ successes in capturing ratings and headlines had the potential to sway sponsorships, alter TV negotiations, and pressure NASCAR to re-examine its approach.
NASCAR being intimidated by SRX is hilarious.
Many fans and commentators took to social media to express surprise and bemusement at NASCAR’s nervousness, especially given the vast resources and longstanding brand recognition the organization commands. Their laughter echoes the sentiment that SRX, despite having fewer financial and organizational advantages, was able to generate considerable positive buzz, compelling NASCAR’s leadership to act out of fear rather than strategic vision.
SRX’s vibrant presentation not only secured larger audiences on occasion but also drew in drivers and owners who already had deep connections to the Cup Series. This dynamic, more than anything else, drove the sense of rivalry that informed the harsh correspondence among NASCAR’s leaders.
They are really insecure about Dale Jr and Tony Stewart doing actual cool shit while taking in crazy viewership, but they, with 10X the resources, cannot match up with them, embarrassing to say the least.
Supporters and newcomers alike saw this as an indictment of NASCAR’s inability to keep pace with rapidly evolving fan interests. The popularity of throwback events, the revitalization of storied tracks, and the immediacy of SRX’s TV format became a potent recipe for disrupting the sport’s traditional business model.
The CARS Tour’s sustained momentum under leadership from Earnhardt Jr. and his partners, contrasted with the abrupt ending of SRX after three seasons, stands as a testament to how quickly the racing landscape can shift. The lingering effect is that NASCAR’s hierarchy must now answer for why so much energy was channeled into sidelining creative alumni rather than working alongside them to grow the entire ecosystem.
What Comes Next for NASCAR and Its Rivals?
These leaked exchanges have deepened the Tony Stewart NASCAR leadership conflict, calling into question both the strategy and priorities of the sport’s most powerful figures. The resulting backlash among fans—some of whom are actively distancing themselves from NASCAR—signals a potential crisis of trust that could outlast the current legal disputes.
The reverberations could also reshape negotiations over media rights and future partnerships. With SRX assets now dispersed and the CARS Tour continuing on an upward path, independent series remain a wildcard that traditional NASCAR may need to collaborate with rather than confront.
Key personalities such as Steve Phelps, Steve O’Donnell, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Ray Evernham are likely to remain central figures as the debate over racing’s future unfolds. Meanwhile, venues like North Wilkesboro and Bowman Gray, once battlegrounds in this rivalry, may continue to benefit from their heightened profiles.
Ultimately, the Tony Stewart NASCAR leadership conflict offers a raw window into the emotional and business turbulence defining modern American racing. As fans and stakeholders process what the leaked texts reveal, the entire Racing world will be watching to see whether NASCAR chooses partnership or further confrontation with its most creative and passionate legends.
Some interesting texts revealed tonight … the text reaction of Phelps and O’Donnell when they found out Denny Hamlin was running SRX … (tonight is the deadline for redacted exhibits to be filed for exhibits used in the summary judgment rulings). pic.twitter.com/EE6WURbibY
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 22, 2025
