Did this letter from Johnny Morris spark a settlement in the NASCAR lawsuit?
23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports took NASCAR to court. The lawsuit made headlines weekly and toward the end, it was getting into the weeds with the documents that surfaced in court.
Messages from NASCAR management surfaced from years ago, during peak charter negotiations with the teams. Among them, Steve Phelps, who at the time was the NASCAR President, called team owner Richard Childress a ‘redneck’. Today, Phelps is the commissioner of the sport.
The message from Phelps read, “Childress needs to be taken out back and flogged. He’s a stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR.”
NASCAR President calls Richard Childress a redneck in latest court filings
Also in court, it was revealed that Richard Childress attempted to sell a portion of his team. He currently owns 60%. However, that information was never suppose to surface as an NDA was involved in the sale that never went through.
Richard Childress Racing has been involved in NASCAR since 1969. Dale Earnhardt raced for the team during six of his seven championships.
On Thursday, the teams and NASCAR abruptly settled the lawsuit. And just one day before, Johnny Morris, the owner of Bass Pro Shops and longtime sponsor of Richard Childress released the following scathing letter…
Richard Childress attempted to sell a portion of his NASCAR team
Johnny Morris statement
This was published on Wednesday, the day before the court settlement:
“I’ve been a NASCAR fan since I was 7 years old when I started going to races at the fairgrounds speedway in my hometown, Springfield, MO with my Granpa Will, who was a lineman for the Frisco Railroad,” Johnny Morris opened.
“We watched Willie Crane, Mark Martin, Ken Schrader, the Wallace brothers and others try to beat our local hero, Larry Phillips.”
“In the years that followed, our company, Bass Pro Shops, has become a proud sponsor of NASCAR, a sport that resonates deeply not only with our own Outfitters, but with our core customer base – America’s 180 million outdoor enthusiasts and 60 million hunters and anglers.”
“I speak up today on behalf of the wonderful people in our company who consider it an honor and a great source of pride to have sponsored NASCAR and our friend Richard Childress and his grandson Austin Dillon, for a very long time.”
“Since Dale Earnhardt Sr and Richard Childress welcomed us to the sport 28 years ago, Richard has become a special friend in life. He’s a great leader, a fierce competitor and a passionate advocate for outdoor enthusiasts, and conservatives, he is a true American patriot.”
NASCAR lawsuit settled; Comments from both sides
Morris isn’t happy with NASCAR leadership
“Most of all, to us, Richard is a long time admired and respected member of our Bass Pro Shops family! As I write this today, way too many of my fellow teammates, our valued customers, our independent dealers and respected members of the conservation and military communities… are outraged by how Richard and his family have been treated by some senior NASCAR leaders.”
“We are extremely upset by the recent disclosure of shockingly offensive and false criticisms of Richard by the Commissioner of NASCAR Steve Phelps. For the Commissioner and his allies, to attack one of the pillars of the sport is incredibly irresponsible and a disservice to everyone involved in NASCAR and its partners, sponsors and fans.”
On commissioner Steve Phelps
“What Mr. Phelps may of may not be aware of is the fact that in attacking Richard Childress, the racing legend, he is also attacking one of the most respected leaders in America’s conservation community.”
“The commissioner has repeatedly labeled Richard as ‘an idiot,’ a ‘dinosaur,’ a ‘stupid redneck’ and a ‘clown.’ The fact is Richard Childress has done as much to build and promote NASCAR as anyone in the history of the sport! The commissioner, in all his rant, has only managed to bring discredit to himself and the sport.”
View the direct quotes of what Steve Phelps said about Richard Childress
“Many of our teammates have validly expressed corner that the commissioner’s recently revealed contempt to Richard Childress makes it abundantly clear that he and his lieutenants are not capable of being fair and objective when it comes to impartially enforcing the rules and regulations that govern the sport, including the objective assessment of fines and penalties. This is a threat to the very integrity of the sport.”
“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!”
Speaking on the lawsuit
“We write this letter with genuine respect for the family who gave birth to the great All-American sporting tradition of NASCAR. The France Family has always celebrated the beginning of every race with faith and prayer and saluted patriotism, with the singing of the national anthem, and reminding steadfast in going above and beyond to honor our veterans and active-duty military. They have built a sport celebrated by hardworking American families.”
“It is painful for all fans to watch the current conflict and division occurring within the sport we love. We hope the France family and team owners will reflect carefully on the damage that’s being done to NASCAR in the ongoing dispute and dig deep and strive hard for compromise. We’re cheering for a prompt and fair resolution that creates a positive panther to a happy and long-term future for the founding family, team owners and most importantly, the fans.”
“One thing is for certain, as the leaders of NASCAR seek to grow the sport and attract new generations of fans, they must never turn their back on, or abandon, the true pioneers and especially fans who form the foundation of the sport we love.”
Richard Childress is considering legal action against NASCAR
