New CEO Steve O’Donnell vows to unite NASCAR and return the fun : NPR

Steve O’Donnell, executive vice president of NASCAR, talks about the Next Gen Cup cars that will be used during the 2022 season during the NASCAR media event in Charlotte, North Carolina, Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

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Mike McCarn/AP

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Steve O’Donnell wants to bring fun back to NASCAR, which he calls “the badass American sport.”

O’Donnell was introduced Saturday as chief executive of the sanctioning body at Talladega Superspeedway and pledged to “take some steps” that will return the famous racing series to its roots.

“We’ve lost that in recent years,” O’Donnell said.

Majority owner Jim France has resigned as CEO but will remain chairman of NASCAR, and his majority ownership will not change.

O’Donnell will become the first person outside of the France family to hold the CEO title.

Bill France Sr. founded the racing series in 1948 and has always had a family member in the starring role. Ben Kennedy, great-nephew of France and son of NASCAR executive Lesa Kennedy France, has been promoted to director of operations.

“They’re going to go even further,” Jim France said.

Jim France had served as chairman and CEO of NASCAR since the 2019 resignation of his nephew, Brian.

This is the second promotion in nearly a year for O’Donnell, who spent more than 30 years leading NASCAR’s marketing and later racing departments. He was appointed president in March 2025.

France has taken a tough stance in negotiations over the 2025 revenue-sharing deal, triggering an antitrust lawsuit from Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. The parties reached an agreement in December granting NASCAR teams the permanent charters they sought.

France struggled to remember several topics during a shaky first day of testimony and needed to repeat several questions.

NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps resigned earlier this year after inflammatory texts he sent during contentious revenue-sharing negotiations were revealed during the trial.

O’Donnell escaped unscathed and is now tasked with the next phase of NASCAR, which he said was making sure everyone knew it was a “badass American sport.” He pledged to unite the industry, listen to all stakeholders – including fans – and address issues urgently.

“This is what we have to do every day,” O’Donnell said. “We have to show it.”