NASCAR is undergoing its most significant leadership transition in the sport’s nearly 80-year history.
Jim France, the 81-year-old son of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and the man who has held the title of CEO since 2018, is relinquishing his role and will be replaced by current NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell, marking the first time a non-France family member will lead the most popular form of motorsport in the United States.
The announcement is expected to be made formally this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, the site of Sunday’s Cup Series race and a venue that carries its own symbolic weight in this story.
Talladega was built by Bill France Sr. himself and held its first NASCAR race in 1969, the same weekend France Sr. famously stood down a coalition of drivers who challenged his authority, cementing the France family’s grip on the sport for generations.
O’Donnell, 57, is celebrating his 30th anniversary with NASCAR this year, having joined the organization in 1996 as part of the marketing department. His earliest duties included handing out hats in victory lane and placing sponsor products on winning cars for post-race ceremonies.
He rose steadily through the organization, earning credit for implementing the NASCAR Playoff System, the creation of stage racing in 2017 and the development of the Next Gen car in 2022.
He was named Chief Operating Officer in 2022 and promoted to president last year. Beginning immediately, he will oversee all aspects of NASCAR, including its various racing series, the IMSA sports car series, the tracks it owns and operates, long-term strategic planning and the setting of financial and performance benchmarks.
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