TALLADEGA, Ala. — NASCAR CEO and chairman Jim France, the son of the man who founded the league nearly 80 years ago, is relinquishing his role as CEO and being replaced by current NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell, according to multiple industry sources. O’Donnell will become the first non-France family member to lead the most popular form of motorsport in the United States.
NASCAR is also promoting Ben Kennedy, France’s great-nephew, to chief operating officer from his current position as executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovations officer, those sources said. The moves will be announced this weekend.
Naming O’Donnell CEO represents a seismic departure for NASCAR, which was founded by the France family in 1948 and has since always had a family member in the top day-to-day role. O’Donnell was named NASCAR president last year and is celebrating his 30th anniversary with the company.
France, 81, remains as NASCAR’s chairman, and his 54 percent ownership stake in NASCAR is unchanged. The other 46 percent of the company is owned by his niece, Lesa France Kennedy, Ben Kennedy’s mom.
But beginning immediately, O’Donnell, 57, will now be tasked with overseeing all aspects within NASCAR, including the various racing series and tracks it owns and operates, including the IMSA sports car series, long-term strategic planning and the setting and execution of financial and performance benchmarks.
Steve O’Donnell, the current president, has been with NASCAR for 30 years. (Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
O’Donnell and Kennedy are planning to hold a press conference Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, the site of Sunday’s race for NASCAR’s premier Cup Series.
The Talladega timing, intentional or not, is somewhat symbolic. The Alabama track, NASCAR’s largest oval, was built by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., Jim France’s father, and held its first NASCAR race in 1969. That weekend, France Sr. stood up to a coalition of drivers who attempted to rebuff his authority, soundly asserting control of the sport.
Since then, the France family had largely ruled NASCAR as they saw fit, with their decisions largely not challenged publicly. That power was somewhat curtailed last year when two teams, one co-owned by Michael Jordan, sued NASCAR and Jim France in federal court, alleging monopolistic practices.
At times, the bruising year-plus legal battle cast France in a negative light, with the company’s innermost workings revealed. But on the ninth day of the trial, the parties reached an amicable settlement, and all involved pledged to work together going forward to give the industry a platform for long-term collaboration.
While the timing of the changeover may suggest it was part of the lawsuit fallout, which included then-NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps resignation in January, O’Donnell is adamant this is not the case. He said a succession plan has long been in place and follows the league reaching a level of stability it has not experienced in several years due to recently reaching media rights deals that extend through the 2031 season, securing a charter agreement with the teams, and implementing a new championship “Chase” playoff format.
Jim France and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan, at this year’s Daytona 500. (Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
When France stepped into the dual roles of CEO and chairman in August 2018, it was seen then more as a stopgap, coming amid a turbulent time within the sport that included then-CEO and chairman Brian France, Jim’s nephew, stepping down.
Although Jim France had been involved in the family business since 1959, he preferred a behind-the-scenes role. He maintained his camera-shy presence upon taking the top position, but while he rarely grants public interviews, he is omnipresent in the garage during race weekends and his low-key, unassuming nature has earned respect.
“My favorite part about Jim is I feel like he’s never changed,” said Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the 2023 Daytona 500 winner. “He just shows up, wears his kind of little plaid button-up (shirt), and just roams the garage like he’s just a fan. I like his calm demeanor.”
Part of NASCAR’s new leadership change is the 34-year-old Kennedy taking on an even larger role in the day-to-day running of the league, having a greater focus on both competition and business matters.
Kennedy’s ascent to what is effectively NASCAR’s second-in-command follows a trajectory he’s been on since transitioning from racing as a driver to a key executive role.
One area Kennedy is focused on is revamping NASCAR’s schedule from a once-stagnant calendar filled with redundancies to one featuring new marquee events, including races inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and on a street course constructed in downtown Chicago. This has earned him acclaim across the industry.
As Kennedy has climbed, he’s worked in lockstep with O’Donnell. The latter has been a mentor to Kennedy, someone who many think will eventually hold the CEO job.
