Motorsport photoMatt WeaverSat, November 22, 2025 at 8:03 AM UTC·5 min readThere were countless emails, text messages and documents unsealed on Friday as part of the build-up to the 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports v NASCAR antitrust lawsuit trial set to begin on December 1.
The Race Team Alliance, across 2022 and 2023, explored having exhibition races independent of NASCAR but using Cup Series drivers at events in unorthodox locations like the Sultanate of Oman, Mexico City, New Orleans, Downtown Nashville and Churchill Downs.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementYes, Stock Car racing on the famous horse racing track and in the Middle East. Because, in the words of RTA executive director Jonathan Marshall:
“The world is ready for Stockcar racing”
This has to be viewed through the context of the race teams negotiating with NASCAR over the charter extension negotiation in the sense that the Race Team Alliance were simultaneously exploring best ways to leverage their intellectual properties while also trying to leverage a better deal from the Sanctioning Body.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMarshall, who oversees the joint business of the teams that compete in the Cup Series, even pondered that in an email with those he was exploring the idea with in RTA founder Rob Kaufman, Trackhouse co-owner Justin Marks and then RFK Racing president Steve Newmark.
"What is everyone's take on whether we gain leverage by doing this still? If there are productive conversations happening with NASCAR, does pursuing this still make sense to the (Team Negotiating Committee)?"
And Kaufman really wanted to pursue it.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"Guys, my 2cts...Are we serious or not? Justin (Marks) is 100% spot on. We think that merely 'feigning' a move will get Uncle Jim (France) to change the deal, we are kidding ourselves. I have spoken to 5 of the senior NASCAR team principals in the past week and they all say one thing -- they not budge unless they feel they have to concede something material to save the TV deal. NASCAR believes the teams will fold.
"Regardless of the position of NASCAR, I strongly believe the Teams SHOULD do an exhibition race. We negotiated hard to get this right, and it is 100% within the current charters. ... This is doable. Even if things were going right on the Daytona discussions, it's a vert strong brand building item, as well as it should make money. Lots of potential if done right. Don't squander this opportunity."
Kaufman, who was the former co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, added 'are we playing to win, or just playing' in his pitch to the RTA's TNC leaders.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSo, what would these series of races have looked like?
Involved in these conversations were former Stewart-Haas Racing president Brett Frood, former SRX co-owner Ray Evernham and 23XI Racing president Steve Lauletta in addition to Marks, acting in his Trackhouse Entertainment Group capacity.
Marks suggested taking Trans-Am Series TA2 cars to Oman, and eveb leaving the inventory in the Sultanate, to allow their locals to establish a racing culture after the Cup Series stars depart.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe RTA also explored using Late Models or a proprietary car designed and built by Evernham. The TA2 car is effectively a road racing Super Late Model in terms of its base geometry.
In the case of using a proprietary car, the Race Team Alliance would own its intellectual property (IP) 'so if the series were to grow, continue or be replicated in a different region, there would already be a business plan in place for support.'
Evernham speculated that designing and building the prototype of the proprietary car would cost around $350,000 to $450,000. Then they would be mass produced.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEvernham had a plan in place to build a series for Omanis within 12 to 16 months.
"I would propose mirroring the plan that I put together for the SRX series, which would entail contracting with a chassis builder to construct a rolling chassis, per our spec, and having our own team assemble and maintain them. That same team could continue to support the service and repair of the current cars, as well as provide training to the Omanis. I feel it's important to deliver a quality product that would look and sound like a professional race car."
Where would it race? There were two options, both in the capital of Muscat, either on the streets of its city, that does have parallels to Monaco or inside the Sultan Qaboos Stadium, effectively a concept like the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNot that Lauletta felt they were going to get the information from NASCAR on how to replicate Los Angeles, when asked by Marshall.
JM: Do we think we can get any kind of information around the build-out/tear-down of the Coliseum? I assume that's IP that NASCAR is going to hold close to the chest. The momentum of the conversation is the utilization of Muscat's professional soccer stadium. I know much of this is a leverage play and just a single exhibition event but its 100% on the table that a new league can be created and capitalized for a 'winter series' at these stadiums in Oman, Dubai, Qatar, Saudi, etc.
SL: You are 100% correct in that we will get zero information from NASCAR about the Clash. I think we need to find other options with my first thought being the people thar run Race of Champions or other temporary circuits.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBe it just a leverage play or a legitimate attempt to create some sort of international series leveraging the IP of the Race Team Alliance, Evernham took the assignment very seriously from a car design, track design and points system standpoint.
"The goal would be for the RTA or designated ownership company to retain all rights to the IP. The Omanis would continuously buy replacement parts and cars from the ownership company, and we could easily set up a franchise system if they wanted to expand this race/series to a franchise system.
"To create a more detailed plan, traveling to Oman for a site visit and culture survey would be necessary. This proposal is meant to be a thought starter for the team and will be refined as we get feedback and learn more."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMarks said he spoke with Omani Minister of Sport & Youth on December 12 and spoke financial figures for an exhibition race featuring Cup Series stars.
Also ...
"The cars are a different story. If we can put an estimate on the prep of a Gen-6 car will cost us, I can have someone work on a basic cost estimate for getting 20 of them with support infrastructure on a cargo plane to the Middle East."
20 Gen-6 cars to be raced for a Middle Eastern Stock Car Series
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOverall, the RTA had four different geographic concepts for an independent exhibition series using the drivers their owners had under their emplu
Marks spearheaded conversations with Nashville and Oman, what Marshall called 'the two most promising at this point' but also Wasserman Group exploring Mexico City and Churchill Downs.
NASCAR, for its part, did catch wind of the RTA exploring running their own exhibition races and canceled editorial support for the Snowball Derby in December 2022. The Snowball Derby, which is the most prestigious grassroots Super Late Model race in the country, was then broadcast on Racing America, the RTA’s media platform.
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