Before the 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports v. NASCAR antitrust lawsuit was settled during the trial, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sister/business partner Kelley Earnhardt-Miller took to their podcast studio to discuss some of their thoughts at the time.

One of those topics was the revelation that NASCAR felt threatened by a certain degree by the Superstar Racing Experience and even reacted to it by ‘locking down’ tracks with extensive sanctioning agreements.

Its top executives even made clear how frustrated they felt by SRX both within documents uncovered by the discovery process but also during testimony during the trial itself.

Earnhardt, talking on the Dale Jr. Download expressed surprise that NASCAR felt so strongly about SRX.

“I gotta be honest, this shocked me,” Earnhardt said on Tuesday’s Dale Jr. Download. “I want to say that I’m a big fan, and I think I’m a good friend with Ray Evernham. When he started talking about SRX and what he wanted to do, in his mind, he wanted to re-create IROC. The initial idea of SRX as a series that would go into these local markets, and you would bring out these retired guys and some unique personalities, different forms of racing and offer up a car to the local hero. The original idea of SRX, in my mind, was a good idea. I will say, though, I wasn’t interested in it, personally. Out of the gate, I just didn’t have the bandwidth to get into it. I wasn’t a fan; I didn’t really watch too much of it. … No offense to anybody out there that was SRX fans or anybody that worked in the series… but I wasn’t into it.

“To hear that they were even remotely the least bit threatened is so surprising to me because they’re this giant that’s NASCAR and SRX is just this little thing. They were like 12 cars just barely getting by financially. They’re tearing up so much shit, they had no idea they were gonna tear up so much shit. In the end, they couldn’t make the money work. SRX went away because it’s expensive to operate and the viewership numbers didn’t justify the TV contract and the TV contract couldn’t afford the series, so it just financially didn’t really work.”

During the trial, now NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell explained why he said he wanted the legal department from the Sanctioning Body to look at NASCAR. He said it looked more and more like NASCAR when Cup Series drivers and their sponsors started to compete in the mid-week summer short and dirt track series.

However, O’Donnell also testified that legal said there wasn’t nothing to take action against.

Regardless, Earnhardt just didn’t understand why this was even a topic of consideration.

“I am surprised by the some of the comments I read from O’Donnell and a couple people of, ‘Man we gotta put an end to this or we gotta go take a look at this.’ Why are we worried? I don’t care [about the ratings], people were gonna be curious. … I’m not alarmed by that. … I was really surprised by that,” Earnhardt said. “I never saw, no disrespect, but I never would’ve worried or considered SRX a problem.

“I would’ve looked at what they were doing… why do people like it and can we work together? It was interesting because it did morph. You had drivers like Denny, Chase, and Blaney, but Chase goes over there to race with his dad, have a little fun. Blaney with his dad. They were getting paid to go out there and do it for a little bit of money.”

Wilkesboro and Bowman Gray

Earnhardt directly was even pulled into the internal NASCAR debate as Phelps, O’Donnell and SVP of Strategy Scott Prime concluded the Sanctioning Body needed to schedule races at North Wilkesboro and Bowman Gray Stadium before SRX had a chance to do it with the retired superstar.

From the aforementioned June 2022 text message exchange between the three:

O’Donnell: 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.
Prime: 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
Prime: 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

Wilkesboro and Bowman Gray eventually were added to the Cup Series schedule in 2023 and 2025 respectively.

However, Earnhardt said the former is to the credit of Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith and the state of North Carolina’s Build Back Better fund contribution.

“Listen, there is a lot of stuff about NASCAR in all of this that I don’t know,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t know everything about how they run things, and I certainly didn’t know how they felt about some things, and how these text messages have unveiled some things. But I’ll tell you what I do know, is that North Wilkesboro came back because of Marcus Smith … NASCAR, you know, they didn’t play any role. Now, they have to go, when Marcus comes up and says, ‘Man, I’ve got this track back together, I want to put it on the schedule.’ They’ve gotta go, ‘Okay, good.’

“But, look, NASCAR never was going, ‘Guys, we gotta get Wilkesboro going.’ This isn’t a knock to them, you know, this isn’t a knock to them, they shouldn’t take this as an insult, but Wilkesboro is back because of everybody else. The government, our local government, and the town, a lot of volunteers. Fucking, 20 years of volunteers, people just like even keeping the grass mowed for 20 years. All of those reasons, the fact that they kept the track in somewhat reasonable shape, to even be considered to be brought back. Those people should be commended. You know, we can go on about this.”

Earnhardt-Miller also said her brother deserved credit for getting CARS Tour involved and his driving in a race that drew 20,000 fans even before NASCAR and SMI scheduled the All-Star Race.

He wouldn’t accept it, but it’s objectively true that his star power contributed to the success of an event dubbed ‘Race Track Revival.’

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– The Motorsport.com Team

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NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. has an eye for talent; Look no further than his O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series Team JR Motorsports’ four driver championships as proof of that.

The current NASCAR field contains a plethora of talent of all ages and backgrounds, some of whom are arguably underappreciated by fans and perhaps even the paddock alike. Some may also be overrated, but that’s a different story entirely.

Quizzed on the current field, and which drivers he believes don’t get the recognition they deserve, Earnhardt Jr singled out a veteran of the sport, who had to wait until he was well into his 30s to get his shot in the Cup Series. It came after Earnhardt Jr shared a grim prediction for a star who ‘overachieved’ in 2025.

Former JRM driver and current Wood Brothers Racing star, Josh Berry, has only driven full-time in the Cup Series for two seasons, with the first being with the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing. Prior to 2024, he had only made 12 appearances for Hendrick Motorsports, Legacy Motor Club, and Spire Motorsports between 2021 and 2023.

This past season, Berry set a new benchmark for himself, reaching the Playoffs and winning his first race, the Pennzoil 400, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, while also cracking the top five two further times and the top 10 on another five occasions.

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“I don’t know how people feel about Josh Berry now. I still feel like his talent is not as appreciated as I think [it should be],” Earnhardt said on his ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast. “He’s won now. He’s driving for the Wood Brothers. He’s established. He’s good to go, right. But I still feel that people don’t really know how good he is.”

The 51-year-old went on to note that he feels the same about Berrry as he did back in the day about Martin Truex Jr. Earnhardt recalled how early in Truex’s career, which saw him drive for his late dad’s team, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., followed by Michael Waltrip Racing, he approached his then boss, Rick Hendrick, and suggested Hendrick Motorsports “consider Truex.”

“And they were like, ‘Really?’ And that’s as far as it went,” Earnhardt recalled. “And then he got in the [Furniture Row Racing] 78 car and won a championship in a bunch of races with (crew chief) Cole [Pearn]. But I knew Truex had that ability, and he was super talented. Just a really great race car. I feel the same way about Josh. I think Josh is incredibly good.”

Truex ultimately ran full-time between 2006 and 2024, picking up 34 wins, 291 top 10 finishes, and the 2017 Cup Series crown with FRR.

Whether or not there is still time in Berry’s career to clinch that first Cup Series title and a “bunch” more wins remains to be seen. That being said, set to return behind the wheel of the No. 21 WBR Ford next season, he will at the very least be looking to improve upon his 16th-place driver standings finish when the new season begins in a matter of months, starting with the Daytona 500.

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Kyle Larson ferociously came out of a late restart during the 2025 NACAR Cup Series championship in Phoenix to claim a second-overall crown. 

Now, the Hendrick Motorsports driver is planning on heading to Australia to defend his High Limit Racing series title from a year ago in a flex of the NASCAR star’s racing versatility.

Speaking on The Drivers’ Project podcast, Larson played the humble card when speaking about his Australian experience after being asked if he could excel in any racing competition.

“I wouldn’t agree with that because like, I go to Australia,” he said. “The only time I’ve had success in Australia now is when I brought Trevor [Bayne] with me, who’s probably has Paul [Dumbrell’s] notebook.

“When I’ve gone to Australia any other time, I’ve been terrible, like really bad… Like, yeah, I had my moments of being really fast or being competitive, but I also had way more nights of not being competitive.”

Larson will head back to the land down under alongside 10 under American drivers in a lucrative $110,000 AUD race, the most expensive in Australian history.

The 33-year-old has 32 career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series to go along with his two season-long triumphs. In the newly remodeled NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Larson boasts 17 wins.

He has four wins in the Craftsman Truck Series, a competition he continues to compete in as he hunts for a weekend triple (he came close last year). Larson also has a handful of wins in the ARCA Menards Series.

“I think I’ve just been sure I’ve got talent,” he added. “Sure, you know, I can a lot of times carry a car, but I think as the sport has gotten tougher, like I’ve definitely realized you have to have a good team in place… being a Hendrick Motorsports, like anybody can be fast there.”

DON’T MISS:

In the past, Larson has been compared to four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen. “I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver,” the NASCAR man said, not playing the humble card.

Did this letter from Johnny Morris spark a settlement in the NASCAR lawsuit?

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports took NASCAR to court. The lawsuit made headlines weekly and toward the end, it was getting into the weeds with the documents that surfaced in court.

Messages from NASCAR management surfaced from years ago, during peak charter negotiations with the teams. Among them, Steve Phelps, who at the time was the NASCAR President, called team owner Richard Childress a ‘redneck’. Today, Phelps is the commissioner of the sport.

The message from Phelps read, “Childress needs to be taken out back and flogged. He’s a stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR.”

NASCAR President calls Richard Childress a redneck in latest court filings

Also in court, it was revealed that Richard Childress attempted to sell a portion of his team. He currently owns 60%. However, that information was never suppose to surface as an NDA was involved in the sale that never went through.

Richard Childress Racing has been involved in NASCAR since 1969. Dale Earnhardt raced for the team during six of his seven championships.

On Thursday, the teams and NASCAR abruptly settled the lawsuit. And just one day before, Johnny Morris, the owner of Bass Pro Shops and longtime sponsor of Richard Childress released the following scathing letter…

Richard Childress attempted to sell a portion of his NASCAR team

Johnny Morris statement

This was published on Wednesday, the day before the court settlement:

“I’ve been a NASCAR fan since I was 7 years old when I started going to races at the fairgrounds speedway in my hometown, Springfield, MO with my Granpa Will, who was a lineman for the Frisco Railroad,” Johnny Morris opened.

“We watched Willie Crane, Mark Martin, Ken Schrader, the Wallace brothers and others try to beat our local hero, Larry Phillips.”

“In the years that followed, our company, Bass Pro Shops, has become a proud sponsor of NASCAR, a sport that resonates deeply not only with our own Outfitters, but with our core customer base – America’s 180 million outdoor enthusiasts and 60 million hunters and anglers.”

“I speak up today on behalf of the wonderful people in our company who consider it an honor and a great source of pride to have sponsored NASCAR and our friend Richard Childress and his grandson Austin Dillon, for a very long time.”

“Since Dale Earnhardt Sr and Richard Childress welcomed us to the sport 28 years ago, Richard has become a special friend in life. He’s a great leader, a fierce competitor and a passionate advocate for outdoor enthusiasts, and conservatives, he is a true American patriot.”

NASCAR lawsuit settled; Comments from both sides

Morris isn’t happy with NASCAR leadership

“Most of all, to us, Richard is a long time admired and respected member of our Bass Pro Shops family! As I write this today, way too many of my fellow teammates, our valued customers, our independent dealers and respected members of the conservation and military communities… are outraged by how Richard and his family have been treated by some senior NASCAR leaders.”

“We are extremely upset by the recent disclosure of shockingly offensive and false criticisms of Richard by the Commissioner of NASCAR Steve Phelps. For the Commissioner and his allies, to attack one of the pillars of the sport is incredibly irresponsible and a disservice to everyone involved in NASCAR and its partners, sponsors and fans.”

On commissioner Steve Phelps

“What Mr. Phelps may of may not be aware of is the fact that in attacking Richard Childress, the racing legend, he is also attacking one of the most respected leaders in America’s conservation community.”

“The commissioner has repeatedly labeled Richard as ‘an idiot,’ a ‘dinosaur,’ a ‘stupid redneck’ and a ‘clown.’ The fact is Richard Childress has done as much to build and promote NASCAR as anyone in the history of the sport! The commissioner, in all his rant, has only managed to bring discredit to himself and the sport.”

View the direct quotes of what Steve Phelps said about Richard Childress

“Many of our teammates have validly expressed corner that the commissioner’s recently revealed contempt to Richard Childress makes it abundantly clear that he and his lieutenants are not capable of being fair and objective when it comes to impartially enforcing the rules and regulations that govern the sport, including the objective assessment of fines and penalties. This is a threat to the very integrity of the sport.”

“We can’t help but wonder what would happen if Major League Baseball brought in a new commissioner and he or she trash talked one of the true legends who built the game like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle or Babe Ruth?”

“Such blatant disrespect would probably not sit well with the fans – such a commissioner most likely wouldn’t, or shouldn’t, keep his or her job for very long!”

Speaking on the lawsuit

“We write this letter with genuine respect for the family who gave birth to the great All-American sporting tradition of NASCAR. The France Family has always celebrated the beginning of every race with faith and prayer and saluted patriotism, with the singing of the national anthem, and reminding steadfast in going above and beyond to honor our veterans and active-duty military. They have built a sport celebrated by hardworking American families.”

“It is painful for all fans to watch the current conflict and division occurring within the sport we love. We hope the France family and team owners will reflect carefully on the damage that’s being done to NASCAR in the ongoing dispute and dig deep and strive hard for compromise. We’re cheering for a prompt and fair resolution that creates a positive panther to a happy and long-term future for the founding family, team owners and most importantly, the fans.”

“One thing is for certain, as the leaders of NASCAR seek to grow the sport and attract new generations of fans, they must never turn their back on, or abandon, the true pioneers and especially fans who form the foundation of the sport we love.”

Richard Childress is considering legal action against NASCAR

Links

NASCAR | Richard Childress Racing