Legendary team owner Richard Childress has offered an update following 'insensitive and defamatory' comments made about him by NASCAR's former Commissioner Steve Phelps.
Phelps' insults were made in messages that became public during the 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, with Childress having been branded a 'stupid redneck' that needed to be 'taken out back and flogged'.
In response, Richard Childress and his team issued a fiery statement in which they vowed to explore legal action.
“RCR and Richard Childress are deeply disappointed by the insensitive and defamatory statements made about Mr. Childress in recently surfaced text messages between NASCAR executives Steve Phelps and Brian Herbst," the statement read.
“These comments reflect the way certain NASCAR executives have historically viewed and treated many team owners like Mr. Childress, who have devoted their lives to strengthening the sport for its fans, its sponsors, and all who compete in it.
“RCR and Richard Childress are equally disappointed for the NASCAR fans, with whom Mr. Childress closely identifies given his humble and hard-working background.
“Mr Childress and the organization will issue no further statements regarding these or other defamatory text messages that have recently surfaced, as legal action is being contemplated and discussed with legal counsel.”
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Richard Childress speaks out
Earlier this month, Phelps decided to step down from his position as NASCAR Commissioner and is set to be phased out from the sport entirely by the end of this month.
However, by the sounds of it, Childress has not forgiven and forgotten. Although he is focused on working with NASCAR to move the sport forward, he admitted he was holding back his real feelings and that as far as personal damages were concerned, that was all still to come.
“I've spoken to the France family and my goal now is to try to help them and help everyone come together and build a stronger NASCAR,” Childress said in an interview with FOX8 Sports.
“As far as the personal damages that came to me, if I tell you what I think now, you'd probably be bleeping me out.
“So that is still to be carried on in the future, the personal attacks against me. I’m like an old elephant, you don’t forget.”
Childress: I wear redneck badge honorably
Childress was asked if the comments would drive him on this season and prove a motivational factor, but he said he gets all the drive he needs from the race fans.
“I think the race fans get me fired up and they keep me excited,” he continued. “The race fans - one guy’s calling me a redneck - that’s a badge I honorably wear, and I’ve got a lot of race fans that are good old solid rednecks.
“I think that you can’t forget what built the sport was the people back in the day, standing up there having a beer on top of their car, cheering and screaming and hollering. And you can’t forget the young fans coming in, we’ve got to have them to keep the sport going.
“But yeah, I better not say what’s on my mind. I was thinking last night, if someone asked me, how would I answer it and not get bleeped a lot.”
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