Texts from exhibits in the lawsuit between NASCAR and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports revealed the extent of NASCAR leadership’s concern about team owners racing in non-NASCAR series.<\/p>\n
In 2023, Denny Hamlin<\/a>, co-owner of 23XI Racing and one of the men suing NASCAR<\/a> for alleged monopolistic practices, opted to race in the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), a short-lived alternative to the regular NASCAR series. Though SRX only existed from 2021 to 2023, with the 2024 season being postponed and SRX eventually folding, NASCAR was not a fan of seeing its drivers compete elsewhere.<\/p>\n A set of texts from recently unsealed exhibits exemplified NASCAR’s worry, especially after Hamlin opted to race in Tony Stewart’s venture. The latest set of texts is just the latest in a string of messages sent by NASCAR leadership<\/a>.<\/p>\n Steve O’Donnell, the president of NASCAR, sent a simple text message to Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s commissioner, in 2023 regarding SRX and Hamlin’s decision to partake in the series. “Oh great, another owner racing in SRX,” Phelps’ message to his fellow NASCAR executive read, per FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass<\/a>.<\/p>\n In response, O’Donnell texted back two messages, believing that NASCAR needed to exert its power over the smaller series. “This is nascar. Pure and simple. Enough. We need legal to take a shot at this,” his first text read, with his second reading: “These guys are just plain stupid. Need to put a knife in this trash series.”<\/p>\n Sign up to our NASCAR newsletter here.<\/a><\/p>\n Fans on social media were less-than-thrilled to see two of the biggest forces in NASCAR talking down to another series and their reaction to seeing another well-known name taking their talents to SRX. “caught in 4K calling the srx a ‘trash series,'” one fan wrote on X in response.<\/p>\n Another fan noted that Phelps and O’Donnell’s response did not help their ongoing lawsuit<\/a>. “Wow, that sounds like some *strong* anti-competitive intent protect one’s monopoly on stock car racing,” the comment read, referencing how Hamlin’s team currently is embroiled in a legal battle for this reason.<\/p>\n “Yeeeeaaaah that’s not gonna help them prove they’re not an evil monopoly lol. Why would you be that opposed to a fun distraction during a tough time? Indycar and other series embraced the exposure,” a fan postulated in response.<\/p>\n