Richard Childress Racing said in a statement Monday that “legal action is being considered” after the owner of his namesake team was disparaged by NASCAR executives in text messages printed as part of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports' ongoing lawsuit against the sanctioning body.
“RCR and Richard Childress are deeply disappointed by the insensitive and defamatory statements made about Childress in recently surfaced text messages between NASCAR executives Steve Phelps and Brian Herbst. These comments reflect how some NASCAR executives have historically treated and treated many team owners, like Mr. Childress, who have dedicated their lives to strengthening the sport for its fans, sponsors and everyone involved in it. RCR and Richard Childress are equally disappointed. NASCAR fans.” with which Mr. Childress closely associates himself, given his humble and hard-working background.
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“Mr. Childress and the organization will not be making any further statements regarding these or other defamatory text messages that have recently surfaced as the lawsuit is being considered and discussed with legal counsel.”
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Steve Phelps calls Richard Childress 'village idiot' in unsealed text
In 2023 text messages that were unsealed Friday night, NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps said Childress “needs to be taken back and flogged.” “He's a stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR,” says a text conversation with communications director Brian Herbst.
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Phelps again added that “Childress is an idiot” and “if they don't like the sport, sell (your) charter and leave.” And just in case, he said to Herbst again, “Have I mentioned that Childress is an idiot?”
The animosity goes back to SiriusXM's NASCAR radio show, where Childress said some things about the state of charter negotiations that NASCAR executives didn't like. Specifically, Childress said it could build 14 Gen-6 vehicles for the price of seven NextGen vehicles. And when asked if the new TV deal could be a positive, he replied: “For whom?”
Since then, Childress' team has also been penalized in two major ways: to strip Austin Dillon of playoff status after winning at Richmond in 2024, when the driver crashed Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano on the final lap in the final turn to do so.
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Austin Hill also lost his playoff points after intentionally hitting Aric Almirola with a back right hook. At the time, Childress said he was just a dumb redneck when asked if he believed the punishments were personal, implying that he had some knowledge of what was said.
Over the weekend, NASCAR officials said privately that Phelps had contacted Childress to notify him of upcoming unsealed text messages, but no details have emerged about the contents of that conversation.
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