It’s anticipated that on Saturday, NASCAR will make the official announcement that 81-year-old Jim France will probably be stepping down as Chief Govt Officer and that NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell will grow to be the chief. And for the primary time in NASCAR’s 78-year historical past, a member of the founding France household will quickly now not be in charge of the sanctioning physique.
To this point, NASCAR’s CEOs have been founder William France Sr., adopted by his son, William “Invoice Jr.”, Invoice Jr.’s youthful son Brian, after which the youngest of Invoice Sr.’s two sons, Jim.
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Mike Helton was the primary non-member of the France household to grow to be NASCAR president, however he nonetheless served below each Invoice Jr. after which Brian throughout their tenures as CEO earlier than going into semi-retirement (though he nonetheless carries the title of NASCAR vice-chairman). Helton was then changed as president by Steve Phelps after Brian France stepped down as CEO in 2018. Phelps carried the title of the sanctioning physique’s fifth president for seven years earlier than being promoted to the game’s first-ever Commissioner ( he nonetheless answered to Jim France) in early 2025.
Nevertheless, Phelps’ most up-to-date position didn’t even final 11 months earlier than he abruptly stop after being ensnared within the controversial lawsuit with Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Entrance Row Motorsports, which was finally settled in late 2025.
Two different members of the France household lineage may have changed Jim France: Invoice Jr.’s daughter, Lesa France Kennedy, who’s Govt Vice Chair of NASCAR and was the CEO of now-merged Worldwide Speedway Company. Then there may be Ben Kennedy, Lesa’s solely youngster and present NASCAR Govt Vice President and newly-appointed Chief Working Officer.
ST LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 15: NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Vice President Ben Kennedy addresses the gang through the press convention, PK, Pressekonferenz hosted by World Huge Expertise Raceway saying the date of their NASCAR Cup Collection Race for the 2022 season on September 15, 2021, at Bally Sports activities Dwell in Ballpark Village in St. Louis, Missouri. Picture by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire AUTO: SEP 15 NASCAR Cup Collection – WWTR Press Convention Icon116210915003
It’s considerably of a shock that Lesa France Kennedy didn’t change her Uncle Jim. But, at practically 65 years outdated, it’s questionable whether or not she needed to tackle such a problem and the additional work that got here with it. For now, the France household’s direct maintain over NASCAR’s high govt position has shifted, whilst Ben Kennedy may nonetheless finally ascend to President, Chairman, and finally CEO.
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Jim France had quietly and uneventfully served in his position as NASCAR chairman since 2018, when his nephew Brian was arrested for driving whereas intoxicated. Brian then took a brief go away of absence, which finally turned everlasting. Jim took over, and Brian has not been concerned with NASCAR ever since.
Technically, Jim France will nonetheless maintain the title of NASCAR Chairman, and his majority possession stakes stay unchanged (54% vs. Lesa’s 46%). However his position will probably be extra of a figurehead position, whereas O’Donnell will grow to be the primary non-France member of the family to steer the game. In different phrases,
To his credit score, and in a lot the identical approach Helton climbed the NASCAR ladder, the 57-year-old O’Donnell has devoted practically 30 years to the game, starting in its advertising and marketing division. From there, O’Donnell rapidly climbed inventory automotive racing’s company ladder, working in a wide range of roles, together with Occasions and Operations of NASCAR’s weekly collection, Vice President of Racing Operations for the nationwide collection, and Chief Racing Improvement Officer.
O’Donnell was the architect of the NASCAR Playoff System, stage racing, and additional performed a key position within the improvement of the Subsequent Gen/Gen 7 automotive – adopted by tenures as Chief Working Officer in 2022 and President in 2025 (succeeding Phelps when he was named Commissioner).
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WHAT DOES O’DONNELL’S ASCENSION TO CEO ULTIMATELY MEAN?
Though O’Donnell has been true-blue to the France household for 3 a long time and turned down a number of job presents from each inside racing and different sports activities ventures, his ascension to his new position as CEO and persevering with as President couldn’t have come at a greater time. NASCAR will seemingly proceed to really feel the aftereffects of the Jordan lawsuit and settlement. However O’Donnell may play a key position in serving to the game flip the web page.
Plus, , placing older expertise with youthful ingenuity and concepts to hopefully put NASCAR again on the highway to the place it was within the late Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s, when it overtook IndyCar as the preferred motorsport collection within the U.S.
Certainly one of O’Donnell’s finest attributes has lengthy been that he’s not afraid to attempt one thing new. Rumor has it he’s already concerned with the Gen 7’s successor, more likely to be referred to as the Gen 8, which is predicted to launch in 2029 or 2030, maybe sooner if a fourth producer comes into the Cup ranks.
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O’Donnell – nicknamed across the NASCAR storage as Steve O. or just O’D – will seemingly be the purpose man for different key modifications nonetheless to come back to the game. Amongst issues that might probably be on his radar embody enlargement to as many as 40 races per season and new markets.
He performed a key position within the three years of the Chicago Road Race deal, in addition to the upcoming Naval Base Coronado highway course race this June, the return to Chicagoland Speedway after a seven-year hiatus, and can seemingly quickly lead what followers have requested for years: in-week races to be televised in prime time (seemingly both Wednesday or Thursday, very like the NFL has Monday Evening and Thursday Evening Soccer).
O’Donnell may even have to assist lay the groundwork for not solely the following era of drivers but additionally the following era of staff homeowners, from a financial perspective. With many present homeowners of their 70s and 80s, akin to Jack Roush, Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs, the Wooden Brothers, Roger Penske, and others, the following era of homeowners is probably going going to have its personal approach of eager to do issues, with larger and extra important modifications that present old style possession has been reluctant to make.
One other factor O’Donnell must prioritize is bringing the company world again to the game. NASCAR has misplaced a number of high-dollar sponsors within the final 20 years and has not been in a position to change them. As a substitute, we’re seeing increasingly smaller sponsorships, together with one-race sponsorships from native companies from areas close to the actual host racetrack that week.
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One factor that O’Donnell should guard towards is enjoying favorites with homeowners or drivers. If he begins doing that in his new place of authority, it’s going to rapidly draw disfavor from homeowners or groups that will not initially be on his unhealthy facet, however will rapidly be taught what to anticipate in the event that they draw O’Donnell’s ire or in the event that they criticize his actions. He MUST deal with everybody equally.
When Phelps stepped down, it was only a matter of time earlier than Jim France would comply with swimsuit, not as a result of he needed to the best way Phelps did, however extra so as a result of NASCAR is a younger man’s recreation, not an 81-year-old senior citizen’s recreation.
And when guys like Jim France, Roush, Childress, Penske, Hendrick, Gibbs, the Wooden Brothers, and others finally flip over the reins of their race organizations to others – very like Hendrick has picked Jeff Gordon to be his successor – the game must be prepared and ready to take a way more decisive youthful method and function with a youthful mindset. In spite of everything, a lot of right now’s fanbase is nicely into its 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and even older. Youth is the important thing to higher success and development.
That’s why the NFL, MLB, and NBA have all grow to be extra profitable in recent times. They’ve proportionately segued from older followers to youthful followers who know what they need and that their recreation right now shouldn’t be like their father’s and grandfather’s. O’Donnell should remember the fact that even when issues labored again within the day, it doesn’t at all times imply they may nonetheless work right now.
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One different factor O’Donnell wants to bear in mind, significantly with the best way Jordan and Co. gained the lawsuit vs. NASCAR, is to finish what has been NASCAR’s unofficial motto for the final 78 years: “It’s our approach or the freeway.” O’Donnell can’t rule with an iron fist like Invoice Sr. and Invoice Jr. (and to a lesser extent Brian).
Whereas Jim France was extra of a quieter chief than his father and older brother have been, the proper approach for O’Donnell to rapidly lose pals amongst homeowners, drivers, and followers is to rule with out being prepared to offer a bit of or lots whether it is for the betterment of everybody as a complete, not simply O’Donnell and NASCAR’s govt department.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell
To that finish, we want O’Donnell the very best of luck in his new place. He joined NASCAR on the peak of its recognition and has endured its low level and its wrestle to stay well-liked and related. To be given such lofty duty – figuring out that the long run and hoped-for development is using upon his shoulders – is a heavy activity, certainly.
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After the settlement with 23XI Racing and FRM, there have been some rumors that NASCAR might, for the primary time in its historical past, be prepared to promote to both a serious TV outlet or a well-heeled non-public funding or fairness group. With O’Donnell’s promotion, that appears an unlikely chance for now and the close to future.
But when O’Donnell doesn’t do sufficient to alter the game and switch it round in a extra optimistic course, NASCAR might very nicely need to maintain the “on the market” signal useful within the closet, simply in case.
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