{"id":352683,"date":"2025-12-18T05:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T05:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/352683\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T05:59:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T05:59:08","slug":"has-there-been-a-nascar-leadership-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/352683\/","title":{"rendered":"Has There Been a NASCAR Leadership Change?"},"content":{"rendered":"

One week ago, on Thursday, Dec. 11, the biggest trial in NASCAR history was settled. But the fallout from it is still far from settling down.<\/p>\n

It was that Thursday morning when the NASCAR vs. 23XI Racing\/Front Row Motorsports antitrust lawsuit concluded with both sides reaching an agreement. The result? The teams got everything they wanted, including permanent charters and a share of all international revenue.<\/p>\n

But is who gets the money all that\u2019s changed as a result of this case? As many fans have asked Frontstretch this week, what will result from the trial to make the sport better for them? <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a big question, almost impossible to answer this quickly, so let\u2019s start here: have there been or will there be changes within NASCAR\u2019s leadership because of everything discovered from this trial?<\/p>\n

\"NASCAR<\/p>\n

Bringing The Heat: Final Thoughts on NASCAR Vs. 23XI\/FRM Trial With Stephen Mallozzi<\/p>\n

For many, change feels inevitable. NASCAR took an absolute pounding in the court of public opinion during this trial, whether it be the text messages and emails where insults were hurled around, the stubbornness of NASCAR CEO Jim France shown through those messages and his testimony, or the revelation that the France family has NASCAR handle their taxes for them. Whether it\u2019s justified or not, the segment of fans who already felt that NASCAR leadership doesn\u2019t care about them and\/or is incompetent now feel vindicated, with others now joining their cause.<\/p>\n

When the message sent by NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps calling Richard Childress<\/a> a \u201cdumb redneck\u201d went public, it felt like Phelps\u2019 days in the sport may be numbered. There are still a lot of fans who would describe themselves as rednecks (heck, I consider myself at least a bit of one as a journalist). To use that word in a disparaging way, leading this sport, I just don\u2019t see how it\u2019s possible for him to ever come back from that.<\/p>\n

Phelps\u2019 future in NASCAR became even more questionable when Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO Johnny Morris wrote a letter critical of Phelps<\/a>. That letter was released the day before the trial got cut short, and if you didn\u2019t notice, Phelps was nowhere to be seen around the courthouse on settlement day. I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s because he had a prior commitment, if NASCAR thought he should lay low after the Morris letter, or if it meant he wasn\u2019t going to be around much longer.<\/p>\n

Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris: \u201c\u2026 the commissioner\u2019s recently revealed contempt for Richard Childress makes it abundantly clear that he and his lieutenants are not capable of being fair and objective when it comes to impartially enforcing the rules and regulations\u2026\u201d pic.twitter.com\/ThoQ4BfwTx<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) December 11, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Nothing has been said by Phelps or NASCAR to indicate the former won\u2019t be back next year, but it\u2019d probably be best for everyone if Phelps resigned from his role. I think he\u2019s a good guy who did a lot of good his first few years as president. Reading between the lines of the text messages, it felt like he really was trying to do the right things. But you don\u2019t have to convince me, NASCAR; the fans are going to be much more difficult to convince that Phelps sticking around would be a good thing. Maybe the PGA still wants him.<\/p>\n

But if Phelps is the lone casualty in the trial aftermath, all he would be is the fall guy. Jim France would still be the one calling the shots. If France is still in charge next year, then all this trial produced was a bunch of billionaires and millionaires swapping money. From a fan\u2019s perspective, it\u2019s hard to point to things actually changing in terms of the sport\u2019s future direction. The trial is resolved, but many of the problems that fans have (like the Next Gen car, the playoff format, stage racing) still exist. If France is as stubborn about those things as he was about permanent charters, then how will any groundbreaking change truly happen for the fans to rally behind?<\/p>\n

I argued last year that France wasn\u2019t doing a good job as CEO (this was after it took 27 minutes to decide whether William Byron<\/a> or Christopher Bell<\/a> would make the Championship 4) with an article on Frontstretch titled NASCAR Had Better Leadership With Brian France<\/a>. Of course, many fans only read the headline and thought it was absurd. And to be fair, I probably could\u2019ve done a better job at illustrating my point that, no, Brian France returning as CEO wouldn\u2019t be a magic pill to save NASCAR. The point was that things had gotten so low among the fanbase that it seemed NASCAR wasn\u2019t any better off with Jim instead of Brian.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

NASCAR Had Better Leadership With Brian France<\/p>\n

Since then, have things gotten better? Ratings were incredibly low during the playoffs, and this trial gave NASCAR so much negative publicity. The good news is the playoff format is supposedly going to change, but the season has been over for over a month and still no word on what the new format will be (NASCAR could earn a lot of much-needed positive points with announcing a full-season points format ASAP). <\/p>\n

I\u2019m not the only media member calling into question Jim France as CEO. On Dec. 12, The Athletic published an article<\/a> by Jeff Gluck saying that it\u2019s time for France to step aside. For someone of Gluck\u2019s stature \u2014 he\u2019s been working in NASCAR for over 20 years, has become somewhat of a household name in NASCAR homes, is a fan favorite and is genuinely one of the nicest people you could ever meet \u2014 to say that about France is pretty condemning.<\/p>\n

Maybe the plan already is for France to step down as CEO at the end of the year. As with Phelps, no one has heard one way or the other. But also like with Phelps, there is no way he can recover with the fanbase after the discoveries of the trial. Would he really miss the $3.5 million CEO salary when he\u2019d still be making millions and not paying taxes as an owner of NASCAR? Plus, the guy is 81 years old. He should enjoy some retirement time without the stresses of running the premier stock car racing division in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Gluck said in his article that current NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer (and France\u2019s great nephew)\u00a0Ben Kennedy should become the new CEO. I disagree with that. Kennedy might do a great job, but he is still a member of the France family. The fans will not accept anyone from that family running NASCAR for the time being. Plus, Kennedy is only 33 years old and could probably stand to learn from someone else for a bit before eventually becoming the CEO.<\/p>\n

As things stand, NASCAR needs to hire fresh blood to be its new CEO. It needs an outsider with a strong will but who is also looking to collaborate with his\/her employees, the teams and others involved. It needs someone who will be visible, unlike Brian France was and Jim France has been, and charismatic. <\/p>\n

If NASCAR wants to make a big splash in hiring a new CEO, then go get someone like Tony Stewart<\/a>. Having played the roles of a racer, a team owner and a series leader (the SRX Series), Stewart would automatically have the respect of his peers and fans alike. Plus, his larger-than-life, take-no-crap persona would insert a plethora of personality into a league that\u2019s been lacking that from top to bottom. Yet one would imagine he would present that persona to the public and behind closed doors work closely and listen to those he needs to.<\/p>\n

Would Stewart want to do a job like that? I lean toward no, which is why I said \u201csomeone like\u201d him. But you never know. After his falling out of love with NASCAR, it would be a cool full-circle moment.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s Stewart or someone else, whether a leadership change is planned to or not, it\u2019s clear more than ever that NASCAR needs a major shakeup in its leadership structure. Its leadership needs to earn back the respect of the fans, and that\u2019ll be a whole lot easier with some fresh faces at the very top. <\/p>\n

\"Donate<\/a>
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Content Director\u00a0at\u00a0Frontstretch<\/p>\n

Michael Massie joined Frontstretch in 2017 and has served as the Content Director since 2020.<\/p>\n

Massie, a Richmond, Va., native, has covered NASCAR, IndyCar, SRX and the CARS Tour. Outside of motorsports, the Virginia Tech grad and Green Bay Packers minority owner can be seen cheering on his beloved Hokies and Packers.<\/p>\n

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