Steve O’Donnell, introduced as NASCAR’s chief executive officer at Talladega Superspeedway, pledged to return “some fun” to what he called a “badass American sport.” O’Donnell said he plans to “make some moves” to steer the series back to its roots, adding, “We lost that in recent years.”
Majority owner Jim France relinquished the CEO role but will remain NASCAR’s chairman and retain his majority ownership stake. O’Donnell is the first CEO chosen from outside the France family; descendants of Bill France Sr. had occupied the top post until now. Ben Kennedy — the founder’s great-nephew and son of NASCAR executive Lesa Kennedy France — was promoted to chief operating officer.
O’Donnell, who has more than 30 years of experience in NASCAR overseeing marketing and competition, was elevated to president in March 2025 and now assumes the CEO position. He said his immediate priorities are unifying the industry, listening to every stakeholder including fans, and moving quickly to showcase the sport.
His arrival follows a turbulent stretch for NASCAR. In 2025, Jim France took a hardline position during revenue-sharing negotiations that prompted an antitrust suit from 23XI Racing, co-owned by Michael Jordan, and Front Row Motorsports. The parties settled in December, securing the permanent charters the teams had sought.
The trial put NASCAR leadership under scrutiny: during testimony France appeared unsteady and sometimes required questions to be repeated. The controversy also contributed to the resignation earlier this year of NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps after inflammatory texts tied to the negotiations surfaced.
O’Donnell largely avoided the fallout from those disputes and now faces the task of guiding NASCAR through its next chapter. He framed his mandate as restoring excitement and cohesion across the sport while hearing from teams, partners and fans and acting with urgency to reinvigorate racing.
O’Donnell has a long public record inside the organization; he previously discussed the Next Gen Cup Cars during a NASCAR media event in Charlotte in May 2021, reflecting his deep involvement in both competition and marketing initiatives. As CEO, he says he intends to balance tradition with change to rebuild unity and bring more energy back to NASCAR.