Race Teams Explored Bold International Expansion and Unconventional Venues Amidst Charter Negotiations

Unsealed legal documents, a critical component of the impending antitrust lawsuit, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports v. NASCAR, slated to commence on December 1st, have revealed a significant and ambitious exploration by the Race Team Alliance (RTA) into establishing independent exhibition racing events. These proposed events, spanning 2022 and 2023, were conceived as standalone spectacles utilizing NASCAR Cup Series drivers, targeting a diverse array of international and uniquely American locales, including the Sultanate of Oman, Mexico City, New Orleans, downtown Nashville, and the historic Churchill Downs racetrack.

The RTA’s executive director, Jonathan Marshall, articulated a compelling vision for this international outreach, famously stating, "The world is ready for Stockcar racing." This strategic initiative must be understood within the broader context of the ongoing charter extension negotiations between the race teams and NASCAR. By concurrently exploring alternative revenue streams and intellectual property leverage, the RTA aimed to bolster its position and secure more favorable terms from the sanctioning body.

Marshall, responsible for overseeing the collective business interests of Cup Series teams, engaged in extensive discussions with key RTA figures, including founder Rob Kaufman, Trackhouse co-owner Justin Marks, and RFK Racing president Steve Newmark, via email correspondence. A central theme in these communications was the potential for these independent ventures to serve as a strategic lever in negotiations. Marshall questioned the efficacy of continuing these explorations if productive dialogue with NASCAR was progressing, asking, "What is everyone’s take on whether we gain leverage by doing this still? If there are productive conversations happening with NASCAR, does pursuing this still make sense to the (Team Negotiating Committee)?"

Rob Kaufman, a vocal proponent of the independent race concept, expressed a firm belief in its necessity, particularly if NASCAR remained intransigent. He articulated a pragmatic view: "Guys, my 2cts…Are we serious or not? Justin (Marks) is 100% spot on. We think that merely ‘feigning’ a move will get Uncle Jim (France) to change the deal, we are kidding ourselves. I have spoken to 5 of the senior NASCAR team principals in the past week and they all say one thing — they not budge unless they feel they have to concede something material to save the TV deal. NASCAR believes the teams will fold."

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Kaufman underscored the strategic importance of such an endeavor, asserting, "Regardless of the position of NASCAR, I strongly believe the Teams SHOULD do an exhibition race. We negotiated hard to get this right, and it is 100% within the current charters. … This is doable. Even if things were going right on the Daytona discussions, it’s a vert strong brand building item, as well as it should make money. Lots of potential if done right. Don’t squander this opportunity." He further pressed the RTA’s Team Negotiating Committee leaders with the pointed question, "are we playing to win, or just playing?"

The proposed independent series involved a detailed examination of various racing platforms and logistical frameworks. Participants in these discussions included Brett Frood, former president of Stewart-Haas Racing, Ray Evernham, former co-owner of the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), and Steve Lauletta, president of 23XI Racing, alongside Justin Marks in his capacity with Trackhouse Entertainment Group.

Justin Marks, a proponent of leveraging existing racing series, suggested deploying Trans-Am Series TA2 cars to Oman. His vision extended to leaving the vehicle inventory in the Sultanate, fostering local engagement and establishing a sustainable racing culture post-exhibition. The RTA also considered utilizing Late Models or a proprietary car designed and manufactured by Ray Evernham’s team. The TA2 car, known for its robust chassis and road-racing capabilities, shares fundamental design elements with Super Late Model stock cars.

The concept of a proprietary RTA-owned vehicle offered significant advantages, particularly in terms of intellectual property (IP) ownership. This would enable the RTA to control the growth, continuation, or replication of the series in new regions, with a pre-established business plan for support and expansion. Evernham estimated the initial cost of designing and building a prototype of such a proprietary car to be between $350,000 and $450,000, with subsequent mass production anticipated.

Evernham outlined a comprehensive plan for establishing a racing series within Oman over a 12- to 16-month period, drawing parallels to his successful SRX model. This plan involved contracting with a chassis builder for custom-built rolling chassis, with a dedicated RTA team responsible for assembly, maintenance, and providing training to local Omani personnel. Evernham emphasized the importance of delivering a "quality product that would look and sound like a professional race car."

Venues for these potential Omani races were explored, with two primary options identified in the capital city of Muscat. One option involved street racing, drawing comparisons to the iconic Monaco Grand Prix circuit, while the other proposed utilizing the Sultan Qaboos Stadium, a concept reminiscent of the temporary circuit constructed for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race or the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum event.

However, obtaining technical details from NASCAR regarding the successful implementation of temporary street circuits, such as the Coliseum event, was viewed as unlikely. Steve Lauletta, in response to Marshall’s query about acquiring information on the Coliseum’s build-out and tear-down, stated, "You are 100% correct in that we will get zero information from NASCAR about the Clash. I think we need to find other options with my first thought being the people thar run Race of Champions or other temporary circuits."

Regardless of whether the primary motivation was a strategic leverage play or a genuine endeavor to establish an international series, the RTA members approached the concept with considerable seriousness. Ray Evernham meticulously detailed plans for car design, track layout, and a potential points system.

Evernham’s vision for the RTA-owned intellectual property included retaining all rights, with Omani participants purchasing replacement parts and vehicles directly from the RTA-affiliated ownership company. He also proposed the potential for a franchise system should the series expand. "To create a more detailed plan, traveling to Oman for a site visit and culture survey would be necessary. This proposal is meant to be a thought starter for the team and will be refined as we get feedback and learn more," Evernham noted.

Justin Marks indicated he had engaged in discussions with the Omani Minister of Sport & Youth on December 12th, exploring financial parameters for an exhibition race featuring Cup Series stars. The logistical challenge of transporting race vehicles was also a consideration. Marks noted, "The cars are a different story. If we can put an estimate on the prep of a Gen-6 car will cost us, I can have someone work on a basic cost estimate for getting 20 of them with support infrastructure on a cargo plane to the Middle East." This suggested the possibility of utilizing existing Gen-6 Cup Series cars for a Middle Eastern stock car series.

The RTA’s exploration of independent exhibition series encompassed four distinct geographic concepts. Marks was instrumental in discussions concerning Nashville and Oman, which Marshall identified as the "two most promising at this point." Additionally, the Wasserman Group was reportedly involved in exploring opportunities in Mexico City and at Churchill Downs.

NASCAR’s awareness of the RTA’s independent racing ambitions reportedly led to the cancellation of editorial support for the prestigious Snowball Derby in December 2022. The Snowball Derby, a cornerstone event for grassroots Super Late Model racing, subsequently found a broadcast platform on Racing America, the RTA’s proprietary media outlet.

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