NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps has admitted it was the sport's most popular driver Chase Elliott that caused concerns regarding rival racing series SRX to come to a head.

Running from 2021 to 2023, SRX was a new stock car racing series founded by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and former NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham, among others.

Racing on short tracks, SRX featured sprint races with drivers from a variety of motorsport backgrounds in identically prepared racecars, with some former and present NASCAR drivers having also raced in the series.

This included Stewart himself, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip and Brad Keselowski.

NASCAR official reveals SRX concerns

Other big names competed on the odd occasion, too, but it was an appearance from Chase Elliott at the season finale in 2021 when NASCAR began to receive complaints.

Testifying in the 23XI and Front Row Motorsports antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, Phelps admitted to being concerned about SRX from day one, but that Elliott's appearance at the above race caused even more problems.

Elliott won the race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in 2021 and Phelps testified that this was the moment concerns over SRX reached a head due to NBC's Sam Flood complaining about his victory due to Elliott using a NAPA-branded and colored car and a stylized number nine - similar to what he would use in the Cup Series.

In reality, NAPA branding was only on the hood of the car, and Elliott had used the number 94 - not the No. 9 - nevertheless, Phelps testified that Flood was complaining that NASCAR drivers competing in SRX was confusing the marketplace.

Leaked NASCAR messages

NASCAR executives and their disdain for the SRX racing series is nothing new, as it was highlighted ahead of the trial in text messages revealed to the public between NASCAR President Steve O'Donnell and Phelps.

In one text in 2023, O'Donnell wrote to Phelps: “This is NASCAR. Pure and simple. Enough. We need legal to take a shot at this.”

Phelps responded: "These guys are just plain stupid. Need to put a knife in this trash series."

As per Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, when Phelps was quizzed on his text here and if it meant he wanted to 'kill' SRX, he simply admitted to being "frustrated that our owners were racing in a series that was using sponsors, colors and livery that looked an awful lot like NASCAR."

Following the 2023 season, SRX eventually canceled its plans for 2024, citing "market factors that have proven too much to overcome."