Richard Childress stunned as NASCAR exposes his secret equity talks in explosive trial moment

NASCAR Xfinity: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship - Source: Imagn
Richard Childress was surprised after NASCAR exposed his equity talks - Source: Imagn

NASCAR Cup Series team owner Richard Childress attended the ongoing antitrust trial for his testimony. In the trial, he was taken aback when he discovered that the governing body was aware of his secret equity talks, despite an NDA disclosure.

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During the cross-examination, Childress admitted he has been talking to outside parties about selling part of his team. He also revealed that this would include 60% of his majority ownership in RCR. He further mentioned that his talks were sealed under a non-disclosure agreement.

However, Richard Childress was surprised to learn that NASCAR had known about it all along. Following that, stock car analyst Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal wrote:

“Under questioning by @NASCAR, Richard Childress was made to admit that @RCRracing has been in talks to sell an equity stake of the team including part of his 60% stake. Childress said the potential buyer signed an NDA, so he was thrown off that NASCAR was aware of the talks.”
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Richard Childress was further asked about his views on NASCAR President Steve Phelps’s text messages about him. In the texts, Phelps had claimed Childress to be a “stupid redneck” and an “idiot.” He refused to comment on the situation.

However, Phelps later expressed regret over his messages, and the texts were not considered as evidence during the antitrust trial against NASCAR.


"I believe in the concept of NASCAR’s Charter system": Richard Childress got candid about the charter system amid the lawsuit

In October 2025, Richard Childress issued a statement about the charter system amid 23XI and FRM’s battle against NASCAR. In his statement, the Cup Series team owner supported the charter agreement. Later, stock car analyst Bob Pockrass shared the statement via an X post.

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The system guarantees entry to all Cup Series events for the chartered teams. However, if the system is dismantled, it could create a sense of uncertainty for the teams and sponsors. Reflecting on the bigger picture, Childress stated:

"As a team owner for many decades, I believe in the concept of NASCAR’s Charter system. Given the challenging business model and economics that Cup Series team owners face, charters are essential to creating enterprise value for teams. The charter system has helped create long-term equity value and has allowed for team equity value to grow."
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"Without Charters, the team ownership model is unsustainable. That is why I remain committed to finding a mutually agreeable solution that will provide permanent charters to all charter holders," he added.

Richard Childress Racing features two entries in both the Cup and Xfinity Series. Former two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch pilots the #8 Chevy Camaro ZL1, and his teammate, Austin Dillon, drives the #3 Chevy in the top-tier league. Jesse Love drives the #2 Chevy in the Xfinity Series and clinched his maiden title in the 2025 season. Meanwhile, Austin Hill pilots the #21 Chevy in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

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Edited by Karan Yadav
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