Michael Jordan’s 23XI vs NASCAR: The Complete Timeline
What’s Happening? The 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports lawsuit will continue for some time. However, many developments will occur along…
Friday, documents, including messages from NASCAR officials and interteam communications, were unsealed as part of the ongoing lawsuit between 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. These have been the talk of the town amongst NASCAR fans, but for those who may have missed out, here are some key takeaways from these documents.
What’s Happening? The 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports lawsuit will continue for some time. However, many developments will occur along…
There is a lot of talk about racing internationally in NASCAR, and this past season, the NASCAR Cup Series raced outside the US for the first time in its modern era. However, regarding stock car racing, the RTA also discussed racing outside the United States in a 2023 document.
This document discusses racing in Oman, a country located in the Middle East, east of Saudi Arabia.
The document for the race offers an interesting glimpse into what the Race Team Alliance envisioned for this exhibition race, including discussions on the cars to be used and the venue for the event.
Among the options for vehicles were TA2 cars, late models, or in-house cars, possibly similar to those used by the SRX series or IROC. For drivers, one document discussed fifteen cars for three teams, with their roster made up of three RTA drivers, a local driver, and a “Wild Card Driver.”
As far as venue, the concept for the race was settling between a street circuit or even a stadium race.
An option discussed for the street circuit is in the country’s most populated city, Muscat. The street race is interesting, with the RTA looking to inspiration from the Monaco Grand Prix.
The stadium race, however, was a direct comparison to NASCAR, with NASCAR’s 2022 race at the LA Memorial Coliseum as inspiration for a potential race at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.
Ultimately, this event did not come to pass, though the concept still seems like something NASCAR could pursue as its interest in racing in international markets continues to grow.
Throughout all the files unsealed by the court and shared amongst the NASCAR community, one name that has come to the forefront is Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson.
His mentions in these messages have mostly centred on two interactions, both with a redacted individual or individuals, one involving Richard Childress Racing owner Richard Childress, and another involving his appearance on Dirty Mo Media’s Business of Motorsports Podcast.
The messages about his appearance on the Business of Motorsports Podcast include a moment in the exchange where Dickerson says he was worried he’d get thrown out of the RTA, the Race Team Alliance, which was negotiating the now infamous 2025 NASCAR Charter Agreement, for his comments on the podcast.
The main takeaway from this exchange from the NASCAR fanbase is a message from the sender to Dickerson, where the sender tells Dickerson they should write a “write a tell-all book when this is done”, but then renegs, saying it would not sell well because “unfortunately our fans don’t all read.”
However, fan attention has quickly shifted to another appearance from the Chevrolet team owner, in which Dickerson calls NASCAR legend Richard Childress a “cuck” after sitting with Donald Trump at the 2024 Coca-Cola 600.
Even though fans are quickly reacting to this one, it is worth noting that Dickerson does not directly say Childress, and is simply referring to someone as “RC,” Although, it’s easy to jump to Childress, as he and President Trump were together at the 2024 Coca-Cola 600.
The bold step by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to join forces in this lawsuit together came as a surprise to many fans.
Although different parties own them and have different OEMs, this batch of documents shows that the two teams’ relationship, at least on the business end, goes back to preparations for the 2022 season.
Prior to 2022, 23XI Racing was a one-car, new team in the NASCAR Cup Series, while FRM was a two-car, former start-and-park operation coming off its best season. But, within these documents is a pitch for a pseudo-merger of operations.
Within a document is a section called “23XI (Jordan/Hamlin) / FRM (Jenkins) Deal.”
This section includes a transaction in which 23XI would acquire 80% of an FRM charter, with an option to purchase an additional FRM charter by late 2022. In return, FRM would purchase 20% of a 23XI charter.
What is most notable in this listing is the mention of a “5 race McDowell Program,” which would see 23XI field Michael McDowell, then signed with FRM, in five races in a third part-time car in 2022. However, this car would be under the FRM banner and paid for by FRM.
This is an interesting note, as it implies that McDowell could have been a ride in a world where this now-defunct deal fell through. Of course, this deal will become one of the great “what ifs” of modern NASCAR, as it could have seen a fan favorite underdog lose its footing in the sport before its breakthrough growth and expansion over the past few seasons.
If you’re looking for more owner drama, this is where you’ll find it.
Internal messages released as part of this lawsuit, such as 23XI’s that called Denny Hamlin a “Bad Buisnessman,” earlier this month, have had their fair share of drama.
But, what if we told you NASCAR’s current commissioner, and former long-time president, said a team owner should be “flogged.” Well, that’s exactly what race fans got to read in messages sent by NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps during his presidency in 2023.
To set the scene, Richard Childress, whose name continues to appear in these documents, had just discussed topics such as the NASCAR Next Gen Car and media rights deal during an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
At some point after this 2023 interview, where Childress was his usual straight-to-the-point personality, Steve Phelps sent a message to NASCAR EVP Brian Herbst, saying that Childress should be “taken out back and flogged.”
But, Phelps didn’t stop there, saying that Childress was a “stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to nascar.” Furthermore, Phelps later stated that if Childress dislikes the state of NASCAR, he should sell his charters and leave.
Initially, fans were curious about the potential fallout from these messages, though Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports reported that Phelps had warned Childress about these comments “weeks ago.”
The SRX Series, also known as the Superstar Racing Experience, operated from 2021 to 2023. Although NASCAR did not own SRX, as it was founded by individuals such as NASCAR legends Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham, it made a lasting impact on fans in its short time.
Initially broadcast on CBS, the series put a spin on the all-star concept of the defunct IROC series, pitting racing legends in spec cars at short tracks across the country.
Although it drew legends like Bill Elliott, Bobby Labonte, and Michael Waltrip, it also had some modern faces, such as Hailie Deegan, Ryan Blaney, and, perhaps most notable of all, Chase Elliott, take to its ranks.
Another driver who competed in SRX was 23XI Racing owner Denny Hamlin, who won his solo start. In texts unsealed by the court, fans got a glimpse at NASCAR reaction to this news, with former NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell saying, “This is nascar. Pure and simple. Enough. We need legal to take a shot at this.”
Steve Phelps, then the President of NASCAR, called the series “trash,” saying they should “put a knife” in SRX.
While this could be viewed as friendly competitiveness, later texts from June 2022 tell a different story and a more aggressive stance from NASCAR, in reaction to news that Justin Marks, a former racer and co-owner of Trackhouse Racing, was competing in SRX’s race at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Although the sender of these messages is redacted, they note that Marks, alongside Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and Stewart, are competing on a rival network, which at the time was ESPN. The sender also points out that SRX had recently outdrawn the viewerships of the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series.
This becomes all the more interesting when O’Donnell remarks in the thread that if they don’t act fast, the series could host a race at North Wilkesboro, which, at the time, was undergoing its rebirth but did not have plans to host NASCAR.
O’Donnell feared that Dale Earnhardt Jr., perhaps NASCAR’s most popular driver of all time, would join the series if they raced at Wilkesboro, saying, “We need to be the first back.”
Though NASCAR has since returned to the track, they have not scored Earnhardt in a race at the track. Furthermore, SRX is no more, having fallen apart after the 2023 season, with its racing assets sold this year.
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.