# Steve O'Donnell (NASCAR)
**Steve O'Donnell** is an American motorsports executive who became chief executive officer of NASCAR on April 25, 2026, the first chief executive outside the France family in the organization's 78-year history.[1](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/) He joined NASCAR in 1996 as a marketing services representative and rose through the marketing and competition departments over more than 30 years before the appointment.[2](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/sbj-360/2026/07/27/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current role | Chief Executive Officer of NASCAR, appointed by the Board of Directors on April 25, 2026[1](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/) |
| Distinction | First CEO outside the France family in NASCAR's 78-year history; the succession now runs France, France, France, France, O'Donnell[1](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/) |
| Previous role | NASCAR President from March 31, 2025, only the sixth person to hold that position[3](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2025/03/31/steve-phelps-named-nascars-first-ever-commissioner-steve-odonnell-elevated-to-president/amp/) |
| Tenure | Joined NASCAR in 1996 as a marketing services representative; 57 years old at the time of his CEO appointment[2](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/sbj-360/2026/07/27/) |
| Predecessor | Jim France, CEO since 2018, stepped away from the role but remains NASCAR Chairman[1](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/) |
| Leadership team | Ben Kennedy, great-grandson of founder Bill France Sr., named Chief Operating Officer in the same announcement[1](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/) • [4](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/nascar-leadership-changes-cup-series-driver-reaction/amp/) |
## Rise through NASCAR
O'Donnell's career at NASCAR spans both the business and competition sides of the organization. He started as a marketing services representative in 1996 and later guided the marketing department and then the competition department.[2](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/sbj-360/2026/07/27/) By 2015 he was addressing the media as a senior competition executive at [Darlington Raceway](https://www.edgepedia.org/darlington-raceway), and in February 2020 he held the title of Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer.[5](https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/nascar-steve-odonnell-kevin-harvick-jeff-gordon-denny-hamlin-steve-phelps-david-wilson-marcus-smith-toughest-job)
In that development role he coordinated the industry's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, spearheading what [NBC Sports](https://www.edgepedia.org/nbc-sports) described as an unprecedented display of cooperation among workgroups across the NASCAR industry during the nine-week layoff, which helped course-correct the 2020 season while also setting the next year's racetrack schedule and the NextGen car rollout.[5](https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/nascar-steve-odonnell-kevin-harvick-jeff-gordon-denny-hamlin-steve-phelps-david-wilson-marcus-smith-toughest-job)
## President of NASCAR
On March 31, 2025, NASCAR elevated O'Donnell from Chief Operating Officer to President, succeeding Steve Phelps, who was named the sport's first [Commissioner](https://www.edgepedia.org/commissioner). As president, O'Donnell held day-to-day leadership of all three NASCAR National Series, all commercial, media and track operations, the four international series, and multiple local and grassroots properties.[3](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2025/03/31/steve-phelps-named-nascars-first-ever-commissioner-steve-odonnell-elevated-to-president/amp/) His scope covered all operations, competition and commercial business for the sanctioning body, along with content investments including the NASCAR Production Facility in North Carolina and the Emmy Award-winning NASCAR Studios team.[3](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2025/03/31/steve-phelps-named-nascars-first-ever-commissioner-steve-odonnell-elevated-to-president/amp/)
His presidency coincided with a turbulent stretch for the sport. NASCAR reached a legal settlement over its charter agreement in December 2025, and Commissioner Steve Phelps resigned in January 2026 after inflammatory texts he sent during revenue-sharing negotiations were revealed in the federal antitrust trial brought by two race teams. With Phelps gone, O'Donnell, as president, was left as the clear leader of the sanctioning body.[4](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/nascar-leadership-changes-cup-series-driver-reaction/amp/) • [6](https://apnews.com/article/269f842e90ca62d5caa59ad0c620a08d) • [2](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/sbj-360/2026/07/27/) During the trial, notes written by O'Donnell, then president, were entered into evidence, including the line "Jim's overarching comments - we are in a competition."[7](https://apnews.com/article/741382ed5885257858d592543df2a501)
## Chief Executive Officer
NASCAR's Board of Directors named O'Donnell Chief Executive Officer on April 25, 2026, effective immediately, in an announcement made at [Talladega Superspeedway](https://www.edgepedia.org/talladega-superspeedway). Ben Kennedy, then executive vice president and chief venue & racing innovation officer, was named Chief Operating Officer, with his remit expanded to include NASCAR's competition department alongside track and event operations, racing innovation, hospitality, and venue strategy.[1](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/) • [8](https://speedwaymedia.com/2026/04/25/nascar-names-steve-odonnell-as-chief-executive-officer-ben-kennedy-as-chief-operating-officer/) Jim France, who had taken the CEO role on an interim basis during the 2018 season and led the sport through the pandemic, a new media rights deal, the charter agreement, and expansion into new circuits and markets, remained Chairman.[1](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/)
O'Donnell said he would take a measured approach, planning to spend his first 90 days listening to team owners, drivers, tracks, sponsors, and internal personnel, with long-term growth as the priority. He described the sport's foundation as solid, citing the broadcast deal, charters in place, and a strong schedule, and framed the goal as making NASCAR "an absolute must-have sport in the future."[1](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/) Reaction from Cup Series drivers, including [Daniel Suárez](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-suarez), Chase Elliott, and [Ryan Blaney](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-blaney), was largely positive.[4](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/nascar-leadership-changes-cup-series-driver-reaction/amp/)
## Priorities as CEO
O'Donnell has emphasized collaboration and long-term planning. In July 2026, with fans complaining about the entertainment value of racing at Daytona and Talladega, NASCAR made a midseason change to its superspeedway rules package, adjusting parts of the car to make the racing more compelling.[9](https://www.jayski.com/2026/07/25/steve-odonnell-says-collaboration-long-term-planning-are-priorities/)
## References
1. [Steve O'Donnell named chief executive officer of NASCAR in leadership change, NASCAR.com (April 25, 2026)](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/steve-odonnell-named-ceo-ben-kennedy-coo-nascar-leadership-change/)
2. [SBJ 360: New NASCAR CEO making his mark, Sports Business Journal (July 27, 2026)](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/sbj-360/2026/07/27/)
3. [Steve Phelps named NASCAR's first-ever Commissioner; Steve O'Donnell elevated to President, NASCAR.com (March 31, 2025)](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2025/03/31/steve-phelps-named-nascars-first-ever-commissioner-steve-odonnell-elevated-to-president/amp/)
4. [Drivers weigh in on NASCAR leadership moves, NASCAR.com (April 25, 2026)](https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2026/04/25/nascar-leadership-changes-cup-series-driver-reaction/amp/)
5. [NASCAR's toughest job: Steve O'Donnell often is the man in the middle of everything, NBC Sports](https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/nascar-steve-odonnell-kevin-harvick-jeff-gordon-denny-hamlin-steve-phelps-david-wilson-marcus-smith-toughest-job)
6. [NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps resigns after inflammatory texts revealed in trial, AP News (January 6, 2026)](https://apnews.com/article/269f842e90ca62d5caa59ad0c620a08d)
7. [NASCAR chairman refuses to budge on team charters in testimony during Michael Jordan's lawsuit, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/741382ed5885257858d592543df2a501)
8. [NASCAR Names Steve O'Donnell as Chief Executive Officer; Ben Kennedy as Chief Operating Officer, SpeedwayMedia.com (April 25, 2026)](https://speedwaymedia.com/2026/04/25/nascar-names-steve-odonnell-as-chief-executive-officer-ben-kennedy-as-chief-operating-officer/)
9. [O'Donnell says collaboration, long-term planning are priorities, Jayski (July 25, 2026)](https://www.jayski.com/2026/07/25/steve-odonnell-says-collaboration-long-term-planning-are-priorities/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Cycling and motor sport › Stock car racing and NASCAR › NASCAR teams and owners*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license