Text messages reveal Phelps’ frustration with Childress

A string of text messages between NASCAR executives from 2023 boiled over into insults about one of its team owners, Richard Childress (pictured above) in a bout of frustration about ongoing arguments over the economics of the sport.

Brian Herbst, NASCAR chief media and revenue officer, had the following exchange with now NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps, revealed as part of the exhibits in the ongoing antitrust lawsuit between NASCAR and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports:

The messages continued after Phelps asked how things were going:

And other messages that read:

The conversation was making reference to Childress appearing on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and making comments about the charter negotiations and the cost of the Next Gen car. The messages were released Friday as part of a trove of documents being unsealed in the antitrust lawsuit NASCAR is in with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.

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NASCAR struck a new media rights deal that began in 2025 and is estimated to be over $7 billion. The seventh-generation race car, Next Gen, debuted in 2022.

Phelps recently reached out to Childress to clear the air about the messages.