7+ hour, 30+ min ago (450+ words) Denny Hamlin raised the temperature as he pushed back against NASCAR and parts of the media ahead of the start of the antitrust trial involving his team, 23XI Racing. His comments'followed'ESPN'senior writer'Ryan McGee's posting of a preview of the case on X. Hamlin stated that the article was crafted to protect NASCAR and mislead fans, calling it "propaganda." The exchange drew more attention to a trial that could significantly alter major aspects of the sport's business structure. 23XI Racing, co-owned by Denny Hamlin, Michael Jordan, and Curtis Polk, and Front Row Motorsports claim that NASCAR has used its power for years to control the top level of stock car racing. The trial begins Monday in Charlotte. The dispute began when McGee shared his story titled, "23XI vs. NASCAR trial: Why Jordan wants to tear up stock car racing." "Tried to hit it down the…...

7+ hour, 38+ min ago (554+ words) The 223XI co-owner reacted strongly to a recent ESPN report about the lawsuit, calling it a "propaganda piece" and claiming NASCAR helped shape the message behind it. Hamlin also said fans had been "brainwashed" by years of media coverage that he believes was influenced by NASCAR officials. Those remarks set off days of reaction. Some fans accused him of attacking the people who support the sport, while others questioned his leadership as more court documents outlining team finances became public. Ryan McGee's ESPN article, "23XI vs. NASCAR trial: Why Jordan wants to tear up stock car racing," breaks down the key arguments in the lawsuit. It explains the teams' claim that NASCAR holds too much control over charters, track access, and earnings from the $7.7 billion media deal. McGee reports that teams currently receive about 49% of that revenue. Hamlin fired back on X,…...

4+ day, 7+ hour ago (531+ words) The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series is already looking bright for Connor Zilisch. Trackhouse Racing shared its partnership with Red Bull, bringing the energy drink giant back into the NASCAR spotlight in a big way. A primary partner for 25 races in 2026 " @redbull " Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) November 25, 2025 Red Bull will back 25 races across two cars next season, split between Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen. It's a major step for both the team and the brand, especially since Red Bull hasn't had this big a presence in the Cup Series since 2011. Zilisch, only 19 and fresh off a huge 2025 ARCA season, will take over the No. 88 Chevrolet. Van Gisbergen moves to the No. 97, a number that means a lot to him personally. Both drivers will debut sharp new Red Bull paint schemes as the season kicks off. " Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) November 25, 2025 Red Bull will appear…...

4+ day, 8+ hour ago (575+ words) Jeremy Mayfield is speaking again after sixteen years away from the NASCAR spotlight. The former Cup Series driver says the newly leaked text messages from top NASCAR executives support everything he has said since his 2009 suspension. The texts came out through filings in the 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports antitrust case. They showed private conversations that included insults toward Richard Childress and negative comments about long-time fans. Mayfield'said the tone in the messages matched what he faced during his final years in the sport. For him, the leaks reopened a story he has never stopped fighting, and he said they explain why his career ended the way it did. On X, Mayfield wrote, "Yeah, I feel vindicated. This proves what I've said 4 years, they don't need a reason. Not fitting their mold is enough. I wasn't their vanilla driver. I came…...

5+ day, 7+ hour ago (517+ words) Amid the ongoing antitrust lawsuit involving 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, newly released documents have revealed blunt private messages from top NASCAR officials. These leaks have set off major reactions across the racing world. The lawsuit, filed in October 2024, claims NASCAR has used anti-competitive rules, especially through the charter system that controls team access and revenue. The unsealed messages come from 2021 and 2022 and show Steve Phelps and" Steve O'Donnell calling team owner Richard Childress a "stupid redneck." They also mocked the Superstar Racing Experience, or SRX, with O'Donnell saying the series drew smaller crowds than a "local dirt track." Active Cup Series drivers have not publicly responded, but several retired stars have. Mark Martin, a 40-time Cup Series winner, said the leaks left him deeply disappointed. "Just so disappointing. We should be giving people who love Motorsports more of what…...

5+ day, 8+ hour ago (429+ words) NASCAR is facing one of its most tense moments in years after new leaked text messages pushed long-running frustrations into the public eye. Veteran driver Kenny Wallace says the sport is now in the worst shape he has seen in his career. In a recent "Coffee with Kenny" video, he pointed to private messages from NASCAR Steve Phelps and Brian Herbst that mocked Richard Childress, the owner of Richard Childress Racing.The texts surfaced through the antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. Wallace said the tone and the personal nature of the messages show how far the [] NASCAR is facing one of its most tense moments in years after new leaked text messages pushed long-running frustrations into the public eye. Veteran driver Kenny Wallace says the sport is now in the worst shape he has seen in…...

5+ day, 21+ hour ago (403+ words) Richard Childress Racing said Monday that it is "actively exploring all legal options" after leaked 2023 text messages showed top NASCAR officials calling team owner Richard Childress a "stupid redneck" and a "parasite on the sport." They were exchanged on December 13, 2023, only hours after Childress spoke on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio about his concerns with the ongoing charter talks. Childress said NASCAR was "trying to take everything away from us" and warned that teams might need to "band together" to protect their position in the sport. The leaked messages pushed an already tense situation into a much more serious direction. According to the published messages, NASCAR President Steve Phelps and Executive Vice President Brian Herbst discussed Childress shortly after his radio interview aired. Herbst wrote to Phelps, "That stupid redneck just went on Sirius and basically said we're trying to steal from…...

6+ day, 3+ hour ago (274+ words) Sigma Performance Services Racing, known as SPS Racing, has taken full control of AM Racing in a deal announced on November 24, 2025, in Statesville, North Carolina. The move brings AM Racing's full operations under the SPS Racing banner, starting with the 2026 season. It also brings new support from Ford Racing, which plans to help with data, engineering, and vehicle improvement. Both sides describe the move as a step meant to grow the team without losing what AM Racing has built over the years. Work on the transition is already happening, with the first big target set for early January 2026 at the ARCA Menards Series practice at Daytona International Speedway. His remarks focus on building a group that can compete as soon as the next season begins. The move allows AM Racing's history and style to remain part of the bigger structure....

1+ week, 3+ hour ago (403+ words) These messages, now public as exhibits in federal court, are being used by the teams to support claims that NASCAR pushed back against competition. As the lawsuit continues, the documents are offering a rare look into how the sport's leadership viewed a growing rival. " Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 22, 2025 On July 20, 2023, Phelps reacted after learning that Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, agreed to race in an SRX event. According to the filings, he sent a message to O'Donnell that said, "This is the trash series that needs a knife taken to it." O'Donnell replied that the legal team was already working on the situation. "Already on it with legal," he wrote. He also noted that NASCAR could enforce contract rules that prevent active Cup drivers from racing in non-NASCAR stock-car events without written approval. Phelps then…...

1+ week, 6+ hour ago (572+ words) NASCAR leadership is facing heavy pushback after leaked court documents showed Steve Phelps, who served as President from October 2018 until becoming Commissioner in March 2025, used harsh words toward longtime team owner Richard Childress. The then-NASCAR president called Richard Childress a "stupid redneck" and said he "needs to be taken out back and flogged." The messages spread quickly and created a wave of anger among fans who felt the comments showed a break from the values that helped shape the sport. The backlash grew as more leaked messages came out, and many fans said they felt disrespected by the tone of the private conversations. The reaction became even stronger when another leaked message showed an unnamed insider saying, "NASCAR fans don't all read." Fans viewed the remark as another sign that leadership was out of touch. " John Newby (@JohnNewby_) November 22, 2025 Melany C. Aylor…...