NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps, under fire for texts, steps down

We said all along that NASCAR just needed to settle with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports over the challenge to its charter system, which, it was obvious, was not going to survive court scrutiny.

It took being dragged into court and having tons of dirty laundry exposed for the France family, the private owner of the racing series, to come to their senses.

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The fallout, in addition to being forced to cave, now includes the scalp of NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps, who, it was revealed during the trial, had called Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress “a stupid redneck” and a “total assclown.”

Oops.

Phelps said Tuesday that he will step down from his post at the end of the month, after 10 months in the role of commissioner, and 20 years working for NASCAR and the France family.

The move came at the point of a financial bayonet: Johnny Morris, the CEO of Bass Pro Shops, a major financial backer of NASCAR, had called for Phelps to either step down or be fired in an open letter made public after the trial.

“We can’t help but wonder what would happen if Major League Baseball brought in a new commissioner and he or she trash talked one of the true legends who built the game like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle or Babe Ruth? Such blatant disrespect would probably not sit well with the fans — such a commissioner most likely wouldn’t, or shouldn’t, keep his or her job for very long!” Morris wrote in that letter.

Phelps tried to apologize his way out of the problem, but that wasn’t going to work; the damage was done.

Not sure if he fell on his sword here, or was pushed into it – NASCAR termed his departure as a “personal decision to step away from the company,” and Phelps, in a statement, said he plans to “embark on new pursuits in sports and other industries.”

Of note: NASCAR signaled that it doesn’t plan to name a new commissioner.