The antitrust battle may have ended with handshakes, hugs, and headlines, but the real shock came after the courtroom dust settled. NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps seemed to be missing during the action. His alleged remark about Richard Childress, calling him a “stupid redneck,” ignited a firestorm just weeks ago, yet since then, the commissioner has gone unusually quiet. With the 2026 season approaching faster than expected, fans and insiders are asking the same uneasy question: Is Steve Phelps still secure as one of the faces of NASCAR?

Is Steve Phelps on the way out?

One podcast rant landed like a lit match in a room full of gasoline. Speaking on the SpeedFreaks podcast, the host didn’t hold back.

“Was Steve Phelps not in that courtroom today, glad-handing everybody? Is there something else going on?” she said, questioning NASCAR’s leadership, aimed directly at the man whose silence has become louder than any statement. “Will we see Steve Phelps come February in Daytona, or is he done? I don’t know.”

The point was clear; everyone else seemed to be celebrating, taking victory laps after the antitrust battle ended—everyone except Steve Phelps, who had once stood in the center of it all. And that absence, intentional or not, created a narrative vacuum that fans are now racing to fill.

The settlement that ended the trial couldn’t have been staged more dramatically if Hollywood wrote it. Outside the courthouse, Michael Jordan and NASCAR chairman Jim France stood shoulder by shoulder with 23XI Racing co-owners Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk and Front Row Motorsports’ Bob Jenkins.

But the one thing missing from the courthouse steps tableau became the biggest storyline of all. Steve Phelps wasn’t standing with them. After days of testimony, after emotional statements, and after being the name most tied to the behind-the-scenes friction, he was nowhere near the celebration.

When Phelps did appear during the trial, it was one of the most tense moments of the entire antitrust showdown. Taking the witness stand on day seven of the federal trial, he painted the negotiations as a near-existential crisis for NASCAR, saying the teams proposed seven $720 million revenue guarantees would “put NASCAR out of business.”

He defended the league’s hardline stance on permanent charters, admitted frustrations with team executives, and even acknowledged messages he regretted, including the infamous “redneck” remark involving Richard Childress. But the recent settlement had no trace of the NASCAR commissioner. And when that came into the spotlight, the fans were quick to point to the implications of his absence.

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Fans rally behind Phelps’ alleged exit from NASCAR

The atmosphere around the NASCAR community shifted dramatically after the latest settlement, and Francis wasted no time expressing their frustration with Steve Phelps. Some reactions were blunt and merciless, with one declaring, “Yeah, he’s done. 😂😂😂,” while another waved off with a sarcastic farewell, writing, “Hasta la-bye-bye.”

The sense of finality in these comments reflected a growing belief that this moment might be the end of the road for him.

Others offered more reflective takes, acknowledging the complicated nature of greatness while still questioning his choices. One comment stood out for its philosophical tone, stating, “To be great is to be misunderstood.”

But that sentiment was quickly drowned out by more forceful demands, like the fan who insisted, “He’s gotta go!!!” The divide between defending his legacy and condemning his behavior only intensifies the conversation.

As the debate escalated, the loudest voices were those calling for decisive action from NASCAR itself. Concerns about the league standards and accountability rose to the surface with comments such as, “If he stays, then NASCAR hasn’t learned anything from this experience and are ok with his behavior.”

And for some, even that wasn’t enough. Frustration boiled over into pointed criticism by the fan who wrote, “We can only hope he’s done!! The Gavin Newsom of NASCAR. Ruining it every year and gaslighting EVERYBODY.” Whether fair or exaggerated, the reactions shared one thing: a unified sense that this moment could shape NASCAR’s future.