> At a Glance
> – NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps announced his resignation Tuesday, effective by month’s end
> – The exit follows the unsealing of texts in which he called team owner Richard Childress a “stupid redneck” who should be “flogged”
> – The messages surfaced during the now-settled antitrust suit brought by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR
> – Why it matters: Leadership shake-up comes as the sport faces ongoing tension over revenue sharing with teams
NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps, 63, will step down after 20 years with the organization, the sanctioning body confirmed Tuesday, following a court-ordered disclosure of derogatory text messages he sent about prominent team owners.
The Resignation
NASCAR issued a brief statement labeling Phelps’ departure “a personal decision,” adding that he will exit by January 31, 2026. The announcement lands less than a month after the texts became public and weeks after the lawsuit between the Jordan-Denny Hamlin-owned 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and NASCAR was resolved.
The Inflammatory Texts
A December court filing revealed Phelps’ private exchanges from 2023:
- Labeled Richard Childress, founder of Richard Childress Racing, a “stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR”
- Suggested the 80-year-old team owner should be “taken out back and flogged”
- Sent after Childress criticized NASCAR’s media-rights deal on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Richard Childress Racing responded at the time, calling the comments “insensitive and defamatory” and hinting at possible legal action.
Lawsuit Background
The antitrust suit argued NASCAR engaged in “anticompetitive and exclusionary practices” to enrich itself while under-sharing revenue with premier teams. The case settled in early December, but the unredacted messages remained sealed until a judge granted media access weeks later.
Key Takeaways
- Phelps joined NASCAR in 2005 and rose to commissioner
- His texts targeted one of the sport’s most vocal critics over media rights
- The scandal accelerated calls for leadership change within NASCAR
- The resignation leaves a key vacancy as the sport negotiates future media and charter agreements
NASCAR has not named an interim commissioner, and Phelps has not publicly commented since the texts surfaced.
