NASCAR NEWS: Denny Hamlin Announces departing from NASCAR and Reason Why…
NASCAR today announced the appointment of Steve Phelps as Commissioner of NASCAR, the first to be named to this newly created role overseeing all aspects of America’s top motorsport, including the International Motorsports Association (IMSA) and all 15 NASCAR-owned or operated tracks.
Additionally, Steve O’Donnell, long-time industry leader and current Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Phelps in the critical role of NASCAR President with day-to-day leadership of all three NASCAR National Series and all NASCAR commercial, media and track operations, as well as its four international series and multiple local and grassroots properties. Both roles are effective immediately and will be based in Daytona Beach, Florida.
“We are thrilled to name Steve Phelps as NASCAR’s first Commissioner. His leadership, professionalism and well-earned respect from across the sports industry speak to his unique value for the sport,” said NASCAR Chairman & CEO Jim France.
“With more than 50 years of expertise between them, both Steve Phelps and Steve O’Donnell bring tremendous expertise, stability and a commitment to the bold racing innovations that will continue to serve fans, teams and stakeholders for many years to come.”
Currently in his 20th season in NASCAR, Phelps will lead all functions of the sport with a specific focus on strategic growth and international expansion while continuing to work directly with NASCAR owners, Jim France and Lesa France Kennedy.
Commissioner Phelps will work across the NASCAR ecosystem to provide value to all stakeholders while increasing global fan engagement. Phelps joined NASCAR in 2005 and has served as the fifth president in the sport’s 77-year history since taking the position in 2018.
“I’m honored to take this next step in helping to guide NASCAR, the sport I’ve loved since my father took me to my first race at 5 years old, continue to grow and welcome new fans, competitors and partners that together create some of the most extraordinary moments in sports,” Phelps said.
“I cannot thank the France family enough for their unwavering commitment to our fans, their steady leadership, and most importantly, their stewardship of stock-car racing since its inception nearly eight decades ago.
This sport is truly one of the great American business stories and I’m privileged to continue as part of that legacy – and especially its bright future.”
As only NASCAR’s sixth President, Steve O’Donnell will take over everyday management of the sport with a focus on continuing to deliver historically exciting racing, exceptional partnership value and a world-class fan experience at every NASCAR national series event throughout the season. Leveraging more than three decades of experience at NASCAR where he has held many roles throughout the company from Marketing to Competition, O’Donnell’s scope will be expanded to include all operations, competition and commercial business for the sanctioning body.
“In my 30 years in NASCAR, I’ve been most inspired by the passion of race fans at tracks across the country. It has been a privilege to help bring our sport to those fans through incredible new venues and innovative engaging content that showcase the best racing in our storied history,” said O’Donnell.
“I believe we’re the best in the world at creating ‘Bucket List’ events that merge sports and entertainment with tailgating, camping and the most immersive fan experience in sports.
I’m honored to continue that mission and build upon the collaboration and innovation with our teams and partners to deliver the best racing to sports fans everywhere.”
With his increased leadership responsibilities, O’Donnell will drive continued innovation and engagement for NASCAR’s key stakeholders, fans and employees, creating a center of excellence for ongoing growth and mutual success across the sport and its increasingly global audience.
He will also oversee the sport’s major investments in content creation and distribution through the new NASCAR Production Facility in North Carolina and the Emmy-Award winning NASCAR Studios team with its upcoming slate of scripted and unscripted content aimed at bringing fans even closer to the stars and stories of NASCAR.
If you go there today, there are weeds growing on the very track where cars once went over 200 mph. And there’s little chance of revival.
First it was NASCAR journalist Jordan Bianchi who expressed a heart-breaking hurdle
“I will say this, from the conversations I’ve had with people in the very high levels of NASCAR; they want to be in southern California, they want the Fontana project to happen.
Like, they want that to come to fruition. But it is so expensive.
Not only do you–normal operating costs to build a race track, it’s expensive, right? But in California alone, it’s more expensive…unreasonably high.
Many stories like this resurface at these events.
One notable example from this weekend came from the 1995 NASCAR SuperTruck Series race at Martinsville Speedway with Geoff Bodine leading the race trying to fend off Mike Skinner.
Bodine struggled to get through lapped traffic and was held up pretty heavily by Ron Hornaday.
The delay caused Hornaday’s No. 16 Chevrolet allowed Skinner to catch up to Bodine where they both battled it out for the win before crashing together on lap 148. Back then, Bodine pointed fingers at both Skinner and Hornaday, but today, the trio is able to laugh about the incident.
“When we were competitors we didn’t like each other because we had to compete. Now we’re in there having a great time telling stories and just having a good time taking pictures,” Bodine shared.
“So, what NASCAR’s doing with us older guys, these retired guys is great.”
This group is more than just connecting with former competitors and reminiscing about old times – it’s also a chance for these members to show their appreciation for one another.
“It’s super special. I mean, Amber’s group and the NASCAR folks doing this alumni deal is brilliant,” Mike Skinner said while talking to the media outside the NASCAR Alumni Network hospitality tent.
“A lot of times we want to come back to the race track—well, a lot of us still motorcoach. So we want to be able to get a motorhome spot. We want to come and shake hands and see people.
I mean, Richard Petty gave me my first job in NASCAR in 1983. I get to go see him, shake his hand, and, you know, hug his neck. You know, it’s really cool to see people.”
Darlington is the perfect place to gather these legends, for its history and celebration of said history on Throwback Weekend.
Part of that celebration also entails the throwback paint schemes that honor the drivers and their families.
One moment that stood out involved Todd Gilliland’s No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, which carried a Ray Fox-inspired throwback.
When one of Fox’s daughters saw the car reveal, she knew she had to be at the track – and the Alumni Network helped make that happen.
“She said, I feel like my dad is alive again, seeing his name on that car, and seeing how they’re honored, that honoring them,” Wells explained.
“I think that’s just the way that current NASCAR can connect back to our history and how our sports started and has evolved.”
As the NASCAR Alumni Network continues to grow, Wells is hopeful about its future.
She envisions more at-track events like those at Darlington and Indianapolis Motor Speedway – where during the 20th running of the Brickyard 400, the network helped bring drivers from the inaugural 1994 race to the track.
She’s also working to expand her Rolodex and welcome more back into the sport.
“I’ve been at NASCAR a long time, and this is one of the most rewarding things that I’ve had the opportunity to work on,” She said.
“I want as many people that are interested in being a part of it. I want to find them.
I want to connect with them, and I want to make sure that they know that they’re welcome and that they still have a place here with us.”
A moment like this happened this weekend at Darlington in the Fan Zone when a few alumni attended a gathering called a Tweet-Up, where the fans and drivers were able to interact with one another, allowing them to reconnect with those who cheered them on week after week.
“The drivers are getting as much out of it as the fans are,” Wells said.
“They’re feeding off that energy because our core fans have an experience with Mike Wallace.
They have an experience with Ron Hornaday or Mike Skinner, and they want to tell them about it. And the beautiful thing is these guys want to hear it.”
Geoff Bodine, who was one of the drivers to venture out to the Fan Zone echoed that sentiment.
“We didn’t have the TV and all the coverage like they have today, so we really appreciate what NASCAR’s done is putting us together and showing us to the crowds, getting on stage and introducing us and doing media things and doing autographs…
the generation I came from in racing, we appreciate all of that,” he said.
“Now back then, yeah you’re racing, you’re focused, you’re busy, sometimes drivers didn’t want to sign autographs but today ‘please come here, I want to give you an autograph, come on over here’, we love it!”
The reconnection with fans and the industry is something that was expected for Wells.
However, what came as a pleasant surprise was seeing the fellowship that these drivers have built, all thanks to the environment the NASCAR Alumni Network has helped foster.
“They may have had these adversaries on the racetrack, but for the most part, they’re all in the same place now, right?
They’ve retired, they’ve stepped away from competition, they’ve aged in their lives, and they’re just at a different point in their journey. And they want to reconnect,” Wells shared.
“They want to say, ‘Hey, do you remember this? Do you remember when
