On Friday, a surge of emails, texts, and documents surfaced amid escalating legal proceedings in the antitrust lawsuit between 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and NASCAR. The trial is set to begin on December 1st. The Race Team Alliance (RTA) explored the idea of organizing exhibition races separate from NASCAR during 2022-2023, featuring Cup Series drivers competing at unconventional venues like Oman, Mexico City, New Orleans, downtown Nashville, and Churchill Downs. This bold vision even included stock car races at iconic tracks and in the Middle East, reflecting RTA Executive Director Jonathan Marshall’s belief that “The world is ready for stock car racing.”
These moves were happening against the backdrop of race teams negotiating with NASCAR over charter extensions. The RTA aimed to leverage its intellectual property while pushing for better terms with NASCAR. Marshall’s emails reveal strategic discussions with key figures such as RTA founder Rob Kaufman, Trackhouse co-owner Justin Marks, and former RFK Racing president Steve Newmark about whether pursuing these independent events could provide bargaining power, even if talks with NASCAR were ongoing.
Kaufman was particularly enthusiastic, confident that running exhibition races was fully supported under existing charters and could pressure NASCAR’s leadership—led by Jim France—to reconsider contract terms. He emphasized the value of these races as both brand-building and revenue-generating opportunities, urging the group to seize this chance to win, not just to participate.
The planned series was envisioned in multiple global locations, with detailed discussions involving prominent motorsport executives including Marks, former Stewart-Haas Racing president Brett Flood, former SRX co-owner Ray Evernham, and 23XI Racing president Steve Lauretta. Ideas included using Trans Am Series TA2 cars in Oman to help build a local racing culture, or alternatively, racing with custom-built cars designed by Evernham, allowing full ownership of the IP to support future expansion or franchising.
Evernham estimated a $350,000 to $450,000 cost for prototype development, with plans to launch a series for the Omani national team within 12 to 16 months. Potential race venues in Muscat included street circuits similar to Monaco or utilizing the Sultan Qaboos Stadium akin to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum setup. However, detailed information on stadium use was elusive, prompting thoughts about collaborating with experienced operators of temporary race circuits.
The objective was to retain all IP rights with the RTA or its designated company while fostering a sustainable business model that could supply parts and cars locally, and possibly franchise internationally. Marks even had a financial discussion with Oman’s Minister of Sports and Youth to support the Cup Series exhibition featuring star drivers. The logistics included transporting about 20 sixth-generation Cup cars via cargo planes to the Middle East with full infrastructure support.
Beyond Oman and Nashville, other locations like Mexico City and Churchill Downs were considered, driven by groups like the Wasserman Group. Notably, NASCAR pulled editorial support for the Snowball Derby in late 2022 amid speculation of RTA’s independent race plans, with the event later broadcast on RTA’s media platform, Racing America.
Fan Take: This revelation highlights the growing tensions between NASCAR and its top teams, signaling a potential shift in how stock car racing might expand globally and innovate outside traditional frameworks. For fans, it promises exciting possibilities of seeing NASCAR stars race in new, international venues, which could invigorate interest and growth in the sport worldwide.
