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Unsealed documents, part of the ongoing antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR, have illuminated internal communications from NASCAR leadership expressing significant animosity towards the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX). The documents, released on Friday ahead of the trial scheduled to commence on December 1, paint a picture of NASCAR executives actively seeking to undermine the upstart series, particularly as it gained traction and attracted prominent Cup Series drivers.
The most striking revelation comes from an exchange between NASCAR Commissioner and then-President Steve Phelps and President and then-Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell. In the communication, dated June 29, 2022, Phelps declared that a "knife" needed to be put into "this trash series," referring to SRX. This strong sentiment was reportedly triggered by the realization that Denny Hamlin, a prominent Cup Series driver and team owner, had agreed to compete in the SRX season opener that summer.
At the time of these communications, SRX was gearing up for its third season. Crucially, it was slated to broadcast on ESPN on Thursday nights, a shift from its previous two-year run on CBS on Saturday nights. This scheduling change, and the increased visibility it afforded, was perceived by NASCAR leadership as a direct challenge, particularly as it facilitated greater participation from active Cup Series drivers. The SRX series, founded by racing luminaries Tony Stewart, Ray Evernham, George Pyne, and Sandy Montag, was designed to bring together top talent in a more accessible, yet competitive, format. Evernham departed the group after the inaugural 2021 season, with Donald Hawk joining as CEO for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
The exchange between Phelps and O’Donnell, presented in the unsealed documents, reads:
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Phelps: "Oh great, another owner racing in SRX."
O’Donnell: "This is NASCAR. Pure and simple. Enough. We need legal to take a shot at this."
Phelps: "These guys are just plain stupid. Need to put a knife in this trash series."
The insinuation within this exchange strongly suggests that NASCAR viewed SRX’s ability to draw current Cup Series drivers as an infringement on its intellectual property and a potential diversion of talent and fan interest. This concern was not isolated to Denny Hamlin’s participation.
In the summer prior to this exchange, Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks also competed in an SRX event at Stafford Motor Speedway. This instance also garnered significant attention and concern from NASCAR leadership. Marks’ participation, along with other prominent figures, was dissected in further unsealed text messages from the same date, June 29, 2022. These communications are particularly significant when viewed within the broader context of the burgeoning charter negotiations between NASCAR and its teams, as well as the eventual purchase of the CARS Tour by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Justin Marks.
A subsequent exchange from the same date reveals a more detailed discussion of the perceived threat:
O’Donnell: "Justin Marks is racing SRX?"
Ben Kennedy: "Saw that too. Disappointing."
UNKNOWN: "They just don’t get it. I’m sure it’s cool for Justin to go get behind the wheel but there’s no regard for the bigger picture. And maybe that’s on us for not giving them that incentive, I don’t know. But you’ve got Marks, Chase (Elliott), Tony (Stewart) and (Ryan) Blaney racing on a network that competes against our rights holders. They outrated (on television) Xfinity and Trucks last weekend; it isn’t some local dirt track stuff."
O’Donnell: "Actually you have one of the voices of FOX in Waltrip, an owner of Cup cars in Stewart, our most popular driver for years and one of our champs fathers etc. This is exhibit ‘a’ that nobody gives a shit about what got them their careers. Pay em some money and they are all in. The guy who cried about safety every single day is in a box car without SAFER Barriers and not a care in the world. And by the way, who does Curtis (Polk, 23XI co-owner) have hanging with (Michael Jordan) over the weekend in Nashville? Not Ben, not me or (Scott) Prime or anyone – Marty Smith from ESPN. Coincidence? Lots to get our arms around but sadly any ‘goodwill’ seems to be lost. So smiles all around but behind the scenes we scheme and we win.” Wait until (Dale) Jr. says he is running an event. Matter of time. They will go to North Wilkesboro with Jr. if we are not careful. We need to be the first back."
UNKNOWN: "Agreed – North Wilkesboro and Bowman Gray next year with Jr and friends if we don’t make moves."
O’Donnell: "How about this for All Star – make it a combo – Bowman and Wilkes Fri/Sun."
UNKNOWN: "Sick! And flip it for 2024. We’ve got moves to make. Just need to sell them through. Should be a good working session Thursday."
Phelps: "That’s the key – we need to have everyone understand that this could turn into LIV if we don’t play our cards right. We are smarter than they are – but part of the issue is they don’t have the facts and don’t seem to want to take the time to learn or maybe they just don’t care. It’s all about the money and feeling like they have been heard and are respected. The SRX thing is just baffling to me. Why don’t they get it? Oh, they do get it, and it’s a huge FU to us."
The reference to a potential "LIV" scenario is a clear allusion to the upstart Saudi-backed golf league that disrupted professional golf, highlighting NASCAR’s fear of a similar destabilizing force emerging in its ecosystem. The communications indicate a strategic imperative to preemptively secure key venues and talent that SRX might have leveraged.
Indeed, the CARS Tour, under the co-ownership of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Justin Marks, beat SRX to the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. In August 2022, XR, in conjunction with Speedway Motorsports, promoted an event at the track. NASCAR subsequently returned for its own All-Star Race at the restored and remodeled venue in 2023. Furthermore, NASCAR secured its return to Bowman Gray Stadium for "The Clash" in 2025 and has finalized a racing lease agreement for the facility through 2026, signaling a move to solidify its presence at venues that could have been attractive to alternative series.
The Superstar Racing Experience ultimately did not run a fourth season in 2024, and its physical assets were reportedly sold to GMS Race Cars in 2025, suggesting its trajectory was curtailed.
The unsealed documents underscore the intense internal discussions and strategic maneuvering within NASCAR leadership during a period of significant evolution in motorsports. The communications reveal a perception of SRX not merely as a rival series, but as a direct challenge to NASCAR’s dominance, prompting a defensive and aggressive response from its top executives. This revelation comes at a critical juncture as the antitrust lawsuit, which centers on accusations of monopolistic practices by NASCAR, heads towards trial. The testimony and evidence presented in this case are expected to further scrutinize the operational strategies and internal decision-making processes of the sanctioning body.
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