The verdict is in, and no matter what NASCAR tries, the fans aren’t buying it. What started as a bitter legal battle with top racing teams has now spiraled into full-blown outrage, fueled by a poorly timed ad ahead of the Daytona 500. NASCAR may have leaned on Dale Earnhardt’s legendary Daytona comeback to stir excitement, but with the lawsuit still smoldering, the fans are calling it tone-deaf.

The advertisement seems to be a wake-up call for all the motorheads to head to the Daytona 500, starring Zane Smith briefly, but what took the NASCAR community by storm was the other actors starting off with Earnhardt’s legacy at Daytona after the charter lawsuit blunder.

At its core, the case was all about money, power, and how revenue and access are shared in a sport that has long marketed itself as a family-oriented competition, and the lawsuit between the organization and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports revealed some ugly truths.

Instead of cooling tempers, the court process has exposed raw nerves inside NASCAR’s leadership. Recently, leaked text messages from NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps and other executives showed appalling comments directed at veteran team owner Richard Childress, a figure deeply entwined with NASCAR history, especially through his legendary partnership with Dale Earnhardt.

In those messages, Phelps allegedly called Childress “a stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR” and said he “needs to be taken out back and flogged,” while also dismissing him as an idiot and dinosaur.

And this is not the type of NASCAR fans signed up for. Those remarks, now public as part of the discovery process, have infuriated fans and insiders alike, suggesting a level of contempt from leadership toward a man who helped build the sports legacy.

The backlash hasn’t stopped at social media outrage. Sponsors and allied brands have weighed in, with leaders like the Bass Pro Shop CEO condemning the derogatory language and defending Childress as one of the most respected leaders in the sport.

This definitely tainted NASCAR’s reputation, and the fans believe that to cover it up, the advertisement would make up for it. However, that was not the case, and the fans began to sharpen their knives.

Fans slam NASCAR’s ad amid charter blunder

NASCAR may have thought a nostalgia-fueled ad honoring Dale Earnhardt would warm hearts, but instead, fans fired back faster than a late race. Social media has been alight with reactions that are equally savage and hilarious.

One fan cut straight to the chase, “Wow!!! Using nostalgia to try and bring back the stupid redneck fans. Good luck with that.” That comment seems like a blow below the belt. Others didn’t hold back either.

Another user drew a direct line from NASCAR insults to the sport’s most beloved icon, saying, “I just keep going back to NASCAR thinking Childress is a ‘dumb redneck’ so I know that’s what they thought of Dale too. So this feels phony, like they are desperate to cash in on the popularity of a dead Dale Earnhardt.”

The message was simple: NASCAR cannot buy fan love, and a wink and a nod wouldn’t cut it either.

Tempers are flaring beyond the usual banter. One particular fed-up fan made their stand crystal clear: “F— NASCAR until they fire Phelps and O’Donnell, I won’t watch another race. Done with this sport moving forward if they’re left in charge.”

Another fan just needed a moment to vent, “I’m sooooo over it !!!!! Give me dirt in my beer.”

And the critique didn’t stop at management. Fans are pointing fingers at NASCAR handling or modern drivers too, saying, “NASCAR can’t carry its modern drivers at all, so it’s been Eeeeearrrrnnnnaaaardt for decades now. That’s a big, big issue!!!”

Essentially, some fans are saying NASCAR is trying to coast on history while failing to nurture the present, and no amount of nostalgia is going to mask that.

At this point, it is safe to say NASCAR’s Earnhardt Home has done the opposite of what was intended. Between outrage, expletives, and some of the most colourful commentary you’ll see outside a Daytona pit row, fans have had enough.