The last few months have been among the most turbulent periods of  NASCAR. Between the antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports and tanking viewership, the uncertainty around the France family’s grip on the sport has been under the spotlight. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell has now provided clarity about what lies ahead for the organisation. 

The rumors about the Sale of NASCAR began last year after the sanctioning body lost the antitrust lawsuit which accused it of monopolistic practices and unfair charter agreements. Not just that, but the lawsuit also exposed demeaning texts from sports executives like Steve Phelps. But the rumors about the sale only took flight after Phelps resigned in January 2026. 

Several media outlets had reported that Jim France had been in talks about the full sale of the sport. However, these rumors have now been crushed by NASCAR’s current CEO, Steve O’Donnell, in his interview with Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, distinguishing between business partnership and selling NASCAR. 

“I think what gets lost a little bit there is the Frances have been open to that in the past; we have partners in Kansas City with a casino,” O’Donnell said during the interview. “We’ve partnered on different real estate areas. So certainly, if you look at different areas, if we went and raced in California, could there be a potential partner that works with us around a track or real estate? Sure, there’s ideas. But in terms of, ‘Is NASCAR for sale by any means?’ No.”

JOLIET, IL – JULY 05: Chase Briscoe 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Bass Pro Shops Toyota leads Christopher Bell 20 Joe Gibbs Racing SAIA Freight Logistics Toyota and Ty Dillon 10 Kaulig Racing Sea Best Chevrolet during the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series eero 400 on July 5, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL. Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUL 05 NASCAR Cup Series eero 400 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260705489400

As pointed out by O’Donnell, the series has continued to experiment with various venues. NASCAR recently partnered up with Naval Base Coronado to bring the sport’s first race on an active military base in June,  which was a huge success as it was the first time NASCAR organized an event like this. But will the real estate partnership for the track continue in 2027?

NASCAR executive gives his verdict on the San Diego race 

After wrapping up the race, while addressing the media, Jim France’s great-nephew and NASCAR COO Ben Kennedy was questioned about whether there was any possibility of the race being on the calendar for the upcoming season. 

“We would love to return. We’re also cognizant of the fact that this is an active military base, and we want to be mindful of that as well.” NASCAR COO Ben Kennedy said.(via Steven Taranto on X)

For NASCAR to come back to the track, the sanctioning body will have to hold meetings with the Navy, as it is an active military base. While no other details are confirmed about the race, NASCAR is reportedly targeting the Fourth of July weekend for 2027, if it falls on a Sunday.

While the question of whether San Diego will make a comeback on the NASCAR schedule or not remains to be seen but one thing is for certain: the France family continues to have a strong hold on the sport.