CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2014 At the dawn of the 2026 season, NASCAR finds itself in an unfamiliar position from where it had been for several years at this time, now facing a rather clear runway to begin its season, as opposed to being roiled in a sea of tumult like it so often has been. A rocky few years have left much to clean up, compounded by the fact that several seismic developments occurred simultaneously, and for a protracted period, often overshadowing anything happening on the racetrack.<\/p>\n
Yet, the brooms are out, and the cleanup has begun in earnest, creating a sense that NASCAR pushed away the off-track drama that has distracted the league.<\/p>\n
Still, sipping his beer at a bar in south Charlotte, NASCAR president Steve O\u2019Donnell nodded in agreement that plenty of work remains, there is no denying that, he told The Athletic. This is a long-term project, not something that can quickly be spruced up at the snap of a finger. Still, notable improvements have already been made, and there is a sense around the sport that O\u2019Donnell is taking the necessary \u2014 if sometimes hard \u2014 steps of admitting NASCAR\u2019s mistakes and moving forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt starts with being a little humble about where you are as a sport, being honest with where you are as a sport, what the challenges are, but also what the opportunities are, and then, not just talking about it, but doing it,\u201d O\u2019Donnell said. \u201cOur commitment from NASCAR is that we\u2019re all in. We are going to work our asses off with this industry, putting wins on the board, specifically for our fans. I think people believe that the direction we\u2019re heading in has the potential to be really good. It\u2019ll take time, but we\u2019re all-in to prove that out.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he lays out his vision for NASCAR\u2019s future, O\u2019Donnell is going to enjoy his beer for a moment, thinking optimistically about the season to come \u2014 one he is convinced will focus on the action on the track, not what\u2019s transpiring behind the scenes or in the courtroom. Gone is the angst over an antitrust lawsuit against the league led by Michael Jordan, challenges with brokering a new media rights deal, the continued backlash over a controversial playoff format, and the often contentious negotiations between NASCAR and the teams over extending the charter agreement \u2014 all thorny issues NASCAR has had to address over the last 24 months that have left the sport in recovery mode.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a big opportunity for us to just get out there and, I think, just be who we are,\u201d O\u2019Donnell said. \u201cI think it\u2019s a good year to level-set. I\u2019m bullish about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dismissing optimism from the head of a league is easy; after all, part of the job description is being a salesperson for the sport. In this instance, though, O\u2019Donnell\u2019s words are supported by NASCAR having already taken tangible action to course correct after feeling like it lost a sense of what it was. NASCAR responded by enacting several changes this offseason conceived with the intent of helping fans, old and new alike, remember why they love big-time stock car racing.<\/p>\n
When the 2026 season begins Sunday with the Daytona 500, the talk surrounding who wins NASCAR\u2019s biggest race will in no way include them clinching a playoff berth, something that galled O\u2019Donnell ever since NASCAR shifted to a \u201cwin-one-race-and-qualify\u201d playoff format. Last month, after a year of analyzing different models, NASCAR revitalized a familiar model, called \u201cThe Chase,\u201d that emphasizes sustained excellence across the regular season and through the playoffs.<\/p>\n
For the many who lamented that they disliked NASCAR\u2019s previous multi-round playoff format, which some felt rewarded good luck above all else, the change was well received. Even the previous format\u2019s sharpest critic, Mark Martin, has said he \u201cloves\u201d the Chase, describing it as \u201cfabulous.\u201d The hope is that if Martin can find the good in it, then so too will its core fan base.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the ways I\u2019ve tried to position it is, we have the most passionate fans of any sport, by far,\u201d O\u2019Donnell said. \u201cOur fans feel as if they have ownership in the sport. And I think for a time, they felt a little disconnected from that kind of ownership position. So a win for us is getting the fans back to feeling like this is my sport, we\u2019re all part of this. And we won\u2019t always agree, but for the most part, directionally, they\u2019re excited again. That\u2019s the goal. Let\u2019s have some fun. Let\u2019s get them excited about what we\u2019re doing, and let\u2019s be authentic to who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Listening, understanding, then reacting accordingly is indicative of O\u2019Donnell\u2019s overarching philosophy this season. That is an especially pertinent approach in the wake of the antitrust lawsuit being settled in December that left the sport bloodied, followed by NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps exiting the company last month after the discovery of derogatory text messages Phelps sent regarding a team owner, along with NASCAR\u2019s long fractured relationship with many of the teams that swelled during the years-long negotiations over extending the charter agreement that guarantees teams a certain revenue floor.<\/p>\n
Through all the trials and tribulations, a frequent critique levied against NASCAR leadership is the feeling that they aren\u2019t in tune with the core issues impacting the sport. Repairing and managing relationships with NASCAR\u2019s various stakeholders is essential if NASCAR is going to capitalize on the clear runway it has before it.<\/p>\n
Trust between both sides has eroded, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon told The Athletic: NASCAR trusting the teams when the teams say they need greater concessions on the business side from the league, and the teams trusting NASCAR when the league says there are limitations on how far it can extend itself on certain matters.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe relationship side of it that has been missing for a while and getting that back on track is important,\u201d Gordon said.<\/p>\n
Gordon speaks not only as a high-ranking executive with NASCAR\u2019s most successful organization ever, but also as one of its greatest all-time drivers. In a career that saw 93 wins and four championships before retiring as a full-time competitor after the 2015 season, much of it was spent in an era where NASCAR\u2019s popularity was at its zenith with television ratings that at times rivaled the NFL and many races with attendance exceeding six figures.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on this heyday, Gordon explained there were multiple reasons why NASCAR hit these heights. One of the main pillars was the communal bond between all the principal players \u2014 NASCAR executives, team owners, drivers, sponsors and media partners \u2014 forged during fishing trips, jaunts in New York City or other fun outings away from the track. These ties built an understanding that while everyone may have had different perspectives, they also all wanted what was best for the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose were meaningful trips that you just don\u2019t see, they don\u2019t happen anymore,\u201d Gordon said. \u201cAnd I think Steve\u2019s really going to be great at doing this and creating those moments and rebuilding those relationships that then builds trust and then gets everybody to want to really lock arms and move together in the same direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just how valuable moments away from the track can be is something O\u2019Donnell, who started with NASCAR in 1996, knows firsthand, as he was included on some of these excursions. He \u201c1,000 percent agrees\u201d with Gordon that the shared vision that came out of this effort helped set a foundation to launch NASCAR into the national sports landscape.<\/p>\n
The decision to end these bonding trips was made years ago, before O\u2019Donnell carried any sway. With NASCAR\u2019s renewed emphasis on smoothing out frayed relationships, bringing back the NASCAR equivalent of a team-building experience is something already being formulated for later this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got to put a little fun back into it,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of the relationships I\u2019ve developed over the years were going to the Super Bowl with some drivers or just hanging out and getting to know people. This helps you when you have to make a tough call with someone that you have that foundation. We\u2019ve missed that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Collaboration is vital, stressed 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin, also a star driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. With the legal fight between 23XI, Front Row and NASCAR put to bed \u2014 the case was officially dismissed last week \u2014 Hamlin wants to see improved relationships with NASCAR. The early signs point to this happening based on conversations that have taken place, along with NASCAR\u2019s first meeting with team owners last month.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve looked at the inner strategy of NASCAR of what they put out to us to get back to where we were, and I think it\u2019s the right strategy,\u201d Hamlin said. \u201cThis is not going to be something that we\u2019re going to see right away; it\u2019s something that could take time within the garage. The proof will be in the pudding that the sport and the teams have said they wanted to do for the last decade. While it is more collaborative or was more collaborative than it was in the 1990s, it\u2019s still nowhere nearly as collaborative as other sports are.<\/p>\n
\u201c(The teams are) just so cutthroat on what\u2019s best for our team, and this team doesn\u2019t like this splitter, and this team doesn\u2019t like this transaxle. It\u2019s all dumb stuff that gets talked about that doesn\u2019t push the sport forward. We have to talk about things that are going to grow the sport collectively, and everyone has to get on that same page.\u201d<\/p>\n
Few within the industry would dispute that Phelps\u2019 departure is anything but a loss. His people skills combined with his business acumen made him one of the more respected NASCAR executives within the garage. Often referred to as \u201cThe Two Steves,\u201d he and O\u2019Donnell balanced each other well; Phelps focused primarily on the business side of things and O\u2019Donnell on the competition, though both were also involved in all facets of the company.<\/p>\n
Now it\u2019s just a singular Steve, leaving O\u2019Donnell as the main figure guiding NASCAR on a day-to-day basis. How he adapts to handling many of the duties once on Phelps\u2019 desk is one of the bigger unknowns.<\/p>\n
\u201cSteve\u2019s big hurdle is I think he and Phelps were a pretty good combination in a lot of ways,\u201d said Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing driver and co-owner. \u201cThey complemented each other. I\u2019ll be curious to see the team that he surrounds himself with. How does that look is a big question mark for me. But he has a great opportunity in front of him. He\u2019s got the keys to the castle. And from what I can tell, it is the first time he\u2019s had them.\u201d<\/p>\n
As O\u2019Donnell lays out NASCAR\u2019s path, it will not just be his vision, but one that comes from heavy consultation with those who see things through a different prism.<\/p>\n
If one wants to see how O\u2019Donnell will lead, look to how he oversaw NASCAR changing its playoff system, which was an industry-wide effort to reshape how NASCAR crowns its champion. As he sips his second beer, O\u2019Donnell gestures to the setting as an ideal place to spend time with former drivers who can offer invaluable feedback and guidance.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal is for our group to go have some beers with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Jarrett and some others and just shoot the s\u2014 on, \u2018What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong?’\u201d he said. \u201cKevin Harvick, \u2018What do you think? What should we do?\u2019 And it\u2019s not a business environment, we can sit around a bar and talk and have some beers and have some fun. But at least know you have that foundation even if you don\u2019t agree all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
One thing O\u2019Donnell will not have to change is his visibility. Part of the role he\u2019s in comes with being omnipresent inside the garage, always available to have a chat about any topic someone wants to discuss. On this front, O\u2019Donnell has industry-wide respect for being accessible. He\u2019s also become adept at being a firm leader but also someone people feel comfortable around, a delicate balance but one he has deftly walked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s a really good leader,\u201d said Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson, the defending Cup Series champion. \u201cI feel like he runs a good balance of being friends with everybody, but also can stand his ground, which I think is important for a leader. I respect him, and I respect the role that he has. I know the job that they have as executives at NASCAR is extremely tough. I think he balances it all very well.\u201d<\/p>\n
In line with his candid personality, O\u2019Donnell doesn\u2019t shy away from any skepticism he faces, accepting that uncertainty exists about whether things will be better with him in charge \u2014 if anything will change for the better, or be the same old NASCAR where the France family still owns the league and is ultimately calling the shots.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Donnell offered a firm rebuke that he is a mere stand-in for the family. For anyone who thinks he just happily goes along with whatever NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France wants, a litany of court documents shows O\u2019Donnell will openly speak his mind and has fought his bosses on the teams\u2019 behalf.<\/p>\n
In a sport where being regarded as a \u201cracer\u201d is a badge of honor, he feels as if he\u2019s earned his credibility. His tenure with the company started in the marketing department, where he spent many years, before switching to competition, first at the grassroots level, then being named chief operating officer in 2022, and then culminating with being named NASCAR president last spring. He is no interloper.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe advantages of having a guy like Steve in the sport is that they\u2019ve seen a lot of different things over 30 years,\u201d Keselowski said. \u201cThey know where a lot of landmines are that probably aren\u2019t obvious to the general public, or even some of those that are inside the sport every day. There\u2019s a lot of value in that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if O\u2019Donnell is someone who just happily goes along with whatever the France family decides, NASCAR executive vice president Ben Kennedy, France\u2019s nephew, scoffed and shook his head. That is in no way O\u2019Donnell\u2019s style, Kennedy said, from personal experience.<\/p>\n
When O\u2019Donnell recruited Kennedy to give up pursuing a driving career to work for the company founded by his great-grandfather, Bill France Sr., one of the chief tenets O\u2019Donnell instilled in Kennedy was to speak up if he has a dissenting opinion. That is a message O\u2019Donnell still continually preaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there are any \u2018Yes, people\u2019 that we have in our organization, Steve is the exact opposite of that,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201cHe is going to tell you what\u2019s on his mind. He\u2019s going to be honest with you. One of the first things that I learned when I came to the company is to surround yourself with people that are going to be honest and transparent with you.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s disagreed with the leadership team on a handful of things, and sometimes he\u2019s right, sometimes he\u2019s wrong, just like all of us are. But that is one of the strongest traits that I believe Steve has and a big reason that he has got to the position that he\u2019s in is because he\u2019s honest with people, he\u2019s transparent with people, and he shares what\u2019s on his mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Never one to sugarcoat anything, O\u2019Donnell said he embraced the reality that if NASCAR is going to reach its full potential, all its stakeholders must be aligned. The infighting must cease, and trying to navigate past missteps doesn\u2019t help the league as it faces its future.<\/p>\n
The early returns suggest NASCAR is making progress to get everyone \u201cto look through the windshield, not the rearview mirror,\u201d O\u2019Donnell said. Even those who were so adamantly opposing NASCAR just a few months ago are encouraged by what they\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m certainly a believer in the direction they are going,\u201d Hamlin said. \u201cOverall, I feel as though the sport got a good reset point at the end of last year, and now we are going into this year, the team owners are in a better position for the long term than where they\u2019ve ever been before. It falls on O\u2019Donnell\u2019s shoulders to lead NASCAR to achieving this goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot taking advantage of the opportunity we have to grow this sport would really bum me out,\u201d O\u2019Donnell said. \u201cI look at my remaining time here at NASCAR, it\u2019s to put people in place to continue to grow the sport and to do my best to bring this industry together and be proud of what we\u2019re building.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2014 At the dawn of the 2026 season, NASCAR finds itself in an unfamiliar position from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":463723,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[446],"tags":[49,48,12716,634,82],"class_list":["post-463722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nascar","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-motorsports","tag-nascar","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/463722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=463722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/463722\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/463723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=463722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=463722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=463722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}