“Childress needs to be taken out back and flogged. He’s a stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR.” These exact leaked words by Steve Phelps came into light a few days ago and left everyone baffled. The moment the chats were leaked, the internet went wild, and NASCAR fans were disappointed and speechless.

With leadership comes the responsibility of accountability. Over recent years, changes implemented under his watch have not only altered the dynamics of racing but also sparked questions about the future direction NASCAR is heading. But from the last few days, amidst this chaos, people have started to raise questions over Steve’s leadership itself. And a summary of how his profile looks so far opened everyone’s eyes.

Phelps’ leadership summary

Steve Phelps first joined NASCAR in 2005 as Vice President of Corporate Marketing after stints at the NFL and Wasserman Media Group. He rose to Chief Marketing Officer, then COO in 2018, and President later that year. And since 2018, Steve Phelps has been NASCAR’s frontman.

A post on X by @pointsoverplayoffs listed the actual ground reality of Phelps’ leadership, with a sarcastic jab stating, “Steve Phelps’ legendary run as a president of NASCAR since 2018.” The list goes like this:

• 850000 average weekly viewers lost
• 0-1 lawsuits vs a team
• 1 legendary NASCAR team owner called a stupid redneck
• Worst car in NASCAR history
• Dumbest championship format in motorsports history
• Team costs raised astronomically.

That list is painfully true. The declining TV ratings show that NASCAR hasn’t grown its audience under Phelps. With the leaked messages, he’s not just got himself into trouble with the team owners, like Richard Childress, but it’s also feeling like they’re losing their grip over the lawsuit each day.

Then, speaking of the Next Gen, the car brought the parity, but it also got along with it the safety complaints, lack of competition, and complaints like that.

On top of it, the playoff format criticism has been at its peak. So, the tweet points out how literally everything that could possibly go wrong with the sport is going on right now, under Phelps’ leadership.

Often seen as the face of these shifts, Phelps also answers to his boss, Jim France, whose push toward what many see as a “sportscar-style” influence clashes with classic NASCAR traditions.

When Phelps’ texts about Childress leaked, many saw those words as a betrayal, deepening the divide between the sport’s past and the direction its leaders want to push it.

Meanwhile, rival series like IndyCar continue gaining traction, adding fuel to the fire. The challenge for Phelps has been trying to juggle the sport’s booming business pressures like multi-billion dollar media deals, international expansion, and integrating sports betting while holding on to the raw, exciting racing that made NASCAR beloved in the first place.

But with the sport often feeling more fractured than united, many fans wonder if the cost of modernization is too high, especially when it seems to overlook what made NASCAR special to millions in the first place. The criticisms aren’t just about racing. They’re about trust, respect, and what NASCAR’s future should really look like.

Fans unfiltered and unleashed

“I bet @stevephelps thinks @NASCAR stands for Non Athletic Sport Centered Around Rednecks.”

The fan humorously highlighted the perception that Phelps doesn’t understand the passionate nature of the sport’s loyal followers.

Another fan’s reaction acknowledged the larger leadership picture, “No fan of his but how much of that is on Jim France? His fingerprints are all over the sportscar slant of this car and the ‘take it or leave’ approach.”

The fan said this, pointing to France’s influence on Next Gen car designs that many see as shifting NASCAR toward road-course aesthetics at the expense of traditional oval racing.

The 550 package disaster is a frequently mentioned grievance, fueling calls for Phelps’ removal. As one fan expressed with clarity and frustration, “I’ve been wanting him fired ever since the 550 package disaster,” referencing the 2021 rules tweak meant to boost passing but widely blamed for dulling pack racing and on-track excitement.

“Can’t wait to see who Curtis Polk and Michael Jordan replace him with.” one optimistic voice chimed in, nodding to 23XI Racing’s co-owner Jordan and his business partner Polk as symbols of potential fresh leadership amid ongoing antitrust lawsuits.

The sharpest came last: “He probably is the worst leader in NASCAR, worse than even the drughead Brian France, he should step down if he has even an ounce of self respect, should’ve just taken up PGA tour’s offer to become commissioner there, this sport is too redneck for him.”

This invoked Brian France’s scandal-plagued tenure while echoing the “redneck” controversy, urging Phelps to exit a sport fans feel he’s mismatched for. These comments collectively underscore a significant divide between Phelps’ leadership and fan expectations.

They portray a fan base yearning for a return to NASCAR’s foundational excitement, frustrated by perceived missteps, and eager for a leadership change that can reconcile tradition with innovation.