Lately, NASCAR has been under serious scrutiny after a wave of internal messages and legal filings lifted the curtain on what many are calling a toxic power structure at the top. Private texts between executives, including Steve Phelps, got unsealed ahead of the big antitrust trial with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. In those messages, the bosses called a longtime team owner a “stupid redneck” and joked about taking him out back for a flogging.

The language shocked a lot of people and has teams talking about more lawsuits over straight-up disrespect. But the mess is opening an even bigger conversation, because former driver Terri O’Connell says she got treated the same way, only worse, and for reasons that had nothing to do with racing.

Terri O’Connell says she felt the same disr

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