It’s not the first time leaked texts have shaken up the NASCAR community, but the situation has escalated to a whole new level this time around. With the clock ticking toward NASCAR’s biggest courtroom showdown of the year, everyone expected the charter trial to dominate the headlines. Instead, something even more explosive has detonated in the sport’s backyard.

Leaked court filings in the past have revealed Denny Hamlin’s simmering resentment toward the France family, as well as blunt internal emails from NASCAR executives. And a shocking message from 23XI Racing president Steve Lauletta turned the entire lawsuit nuclear. However, this one takes the cake. And judging by the fans’ reaction, this could be the kind of mess nobody walks away from unscathed.

Jeff Dickerson’s 2024 texts get leaked, aimed at Richard Childress

A trove of private messages from Spire Motorsports’ owner, Jeff Dickerson, in 2024 has suddenly gone public, dragging Richard Childress in the mud. Back at the 2024 Coca-Cola 600, Richard Childress made headlines for hosting then-candidate Donald Trump at the No. 3 pit box, right before the skies opened and washed the rain away.

At that time, teams were neck-deep in negotiations over the 2025 charter agreement, with yet another team owner agreement draft floating around the garage. It’s unclear which document Jeff Dickerson was talking about in his private messages, but both were major points of tension.

In one of those texts, the Spire Motorsports owner fired off, “I hope RC [Richard Childress] says a word about this document so I can tell him what a c—- he looked like with trump [sic].” Yet another moment where Childress ends up taking shrapnel in a lawsuit he isn’t even directly involved in.

The redacted name, the person on the other end of Dickerson’s messages, wasn’t interested in piling on Richard Childress. Instead, the unnamed texter steers the exchange back to whatever they were supposed to be discussing: team negotiations.

But it does raise a bigger question. Why does Childress keep catching strays from NASCAR‘s inner circle?

Even NASCAR president Steve Phelps took a swipe at him in a separate set of 2023 messages.

Ever since the lawsuit kicked off, Richard Childress has spoken up here and there, mostly backing what 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are trying to accomplish, though he’s made it clear he’s keeping an eye on how it might impact his own operation. But the real shock came from a batch of 2023 messages involving NASCAR president Steve Phelps, where Childress became a repeated target.

In one exchange with Brian Herbst, Phelps didn’t hold back, writing, “I agree with you. Did you give them some sense of how bad things are out there? Childress needs to be taken out back and flogged. He’s a stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR [sic].”

And that wasn’t a one-off outburst. Phelps doubled down in later messages, calling team owners “ shortsighted and self-serving,” before adding, “Childress is an idiot. If they don’t like the state of the sport, sell your [sic] shorter and get out.”

Childress has long advocated for clearer communication and a fairer revenue model within the charter system. And while he never publicly fired back at Phelps’s harsh words, he has recently stood behind the teams taking NASCAR to court, applauding them for finally voicing the concern he’s been raising for years. And with this divide between team owners and NASCAR leadership, the fans aren’t taking things lightly this time around.

Fans fear the worst outcome for NASCAR

The fan base didn’t hold back as the latest wave of leaked messages and legal drama washed over the off-season on Reddit. One viewer summed up the growing frustration bluntly, saying, “At least this offseason nobody is talking about how make the actual cars and races better.” Instead of debating packages, short-track fixes, or the racing product, fans watch the sport spiral deeper into boardroom warfare, something few ever asked for.

Others sensed an atmosphere turning out to be poisonous. As one fan put it, “By the time we reach Daytona everyone’s gonna hate everyone… If they aren’t already.” Another went even further, questioning whether the season would even survive the chaos at the current pace: “At this rate I’m starting to wonder if we’re gonna make it to Daytona at all.” The bitterness, the leaks, the public mudslinging, none of it felt like the NASCAR they once knew.

And as the lawsuits dragged every messy detail into the spotlight, some fans worried the long-term damage was just the beginning. One comment cut straight to the heart of the issue: “All this lawsuit is doing is showing the bad side of the sport. There will be no one wanting to work with ANYONE when this is over.”

Another echoed that sentiment, adding, “It’s showing the bad side to the public. I doubt those involved are all that shocked.” For many, it’s no longer just a legal battle; it’s a crisis of trust unfolding right in front of them. As uncertainty looms in the air, the December 1 trial is set to be the most intense debate ever.