Private text exchanges between NASCAR executives have surfaced through the 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports antitrust suit, unveiling intense criticism of Tony Stewart’s SRX series and igniting major backlash among fans. The Tony Stewart NASCAR SRX lawsuit has highlighted growing friction, its revelations exposing behind-the-scenes power struggles that have inflamed the motorsport community.
SRX’s Rise and NASCAR’s Reaction
Launched in 2021 by Tony Stewart, Ray Evernham, George Pyne, and Sandy Montag, SRX quickly established itself as an offseason draw by pairing popular drivers with short-track formats and high-profile events. After Evernham stepped away post-inaugural season, Donald Hawk became CEO for 2022 and 2023, overseeing SRX’s continued popularity. The series’ blend of prime-time spots and star talent offered an appealing alternative for both fans and competitors during NASCAR’s quiet months, further elevating its status.
In June 2022, private texts between NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps and President Steve O’Donnell—later presented as exhibits—captured escalating frustration over Cup Series team owners like Justin Marks and Denny Hamlin racing in SRX events. The correspondence, brought to public attention by journalist Bob Pockrass, exposed blunt sentiments from NASCAR’s leadership.
Phelps commented:
“Oh great, another owner racing in SRX.”
O’Donnell replied:
“This is NASCAR. Pure and simple. Enough. We need legal to take a shot at this.”
These messages shed light on the resentment brewing within NASCAR’s hierarchy, who saw the rival series as an encroaching threat during a period of heightened competition for both attention and talent. In another exchange, Phelps’s words were even more direct:
“These guys are just plain stupid. Need to put a knife in this trash series.”
SRX’s growing audience and increasing star power only intensified industry worries. One executive flagged that SRX
“outrated Xfinity and Trucks last weekend,”
sparking additional alarm over the traction the new series was gaining. With familiar names like Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. boosting SRX’s popularity, O’Donnell remarked on the potential implications of even greater involvement:
“Wait till (Dale Earnhardt) Junior says he is running an event. Matter of time.”
These conversations, once hidden, revealed unease about losing top venues such as North Wilkesboro or Bowman Gray to SRX, signaling high stakes in the battle for racing supremacy.
Fan Backlash and Shifting Alliances
The published text threads quickly sparked outrage on social media. Fans criticized the tone and intent of the messages—particularly those of Steve Phelps and Steve O’Donnell—linking them to Tony Stewart’s departure from NASCAR’s inner circle and his full-time transition to NHRA competition in 2024. One fan, referencing Stewart’s history and the perceived targeting by NASCAR authorities, declared:
“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.”
The perception of internal sabotage prompted some to demand the immediate resignation of NASCAR leadership, echoing broader discontent within the sport’s follower base. Stewart’s deteriorating relationship with NASCAR’s upper ranks ultimately contributed to the dissolution of Stewart-Haas Racing, with Stewart focusing his future on drag racing rather than attempting reconciliation within the stock-car sphere.
Additional Lawsuit Revelations Involving NASCAR Executives
The SRX controversy was not the only focal point of documents filed in advance of the antitrust trial set to begin December 1, with jury selection opening the proceedings that morning. The compilation of exhibits, submitted for possible trial inclusion, offered further glimpses into tensions within NASCAR’s executive ranks. Particularly notable was an August 2023 text exchange between Steve Phelps and senior executive Brian Herbst, centering on media rights negotiations and featuring sharp remarks about longtime team owner Richard Childress.
Phelps expressed candid frustration:
“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.
Due to their highly inflammatory language and limited direct business context, these comments are not expected to be presented to jurors during the trial. Other filings addressed growing concerns over Justin Marks’ independent pursuits, illustrating just how strained industry relationships had become as legal tensions mounted.
What This Means for NASCAR’s Future
With the Cup Series offseason underway and the first court hearing scheduled for December 1, these explosive communications have become central to debates about NASCAR’s leadership culture and competitive direction. The Tony Stewart NASCAR SRX lawsuit and its associated trove of private exchanges offer a rare, unvarnished look at professional rivalries, raising questions about trust and cooperation moving forward. The outcome of the antitrust proceedings could significantly impact not only legal strategies but also the landscape of motorsport itself, as drivers, executives, and fans await the trial’s first developments.
And more NASCAR executive (one of the people in the chain is not identified so don’t know who that is) reaction to SRX when they found out Justin Marx was doing it in June 2022 … and how that could have sparked more interest in doing North Wilkesboro: https://t.co/iR2qaoyPEU pic.twitter.com/kISZ8iggEo
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 22, 2025
In an exhibit of texts that the jury won’t get to see because would be used more as inflammatory are some texts showing Steve Phelps frustration over things Richard Childress said in August 2023. Texts are to VP Brian Herbst during/following a meeting (believe with some teams): pic.twitter.com/wWx6mAVuxY
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 22, 2025
