Steve Phelps named next NASCAR president
With the future of NASCAR’s CEO role still uncertain, another key leadership position will soon see a change.
Steve Phelps, an upper-level marketing official with NASCAR since 2005, will replace Brent Dewar as NASCAR president on Oct. 1. He will be the third consecutive non-France family member to serve in that role, following Mike Helton and Dewar. NASCAR made the announcement Thursday morning.
“As a life-long fan of NASCAR, the opportunity to provide league-wide leadership is something I am looking forward to,” Phelps said through NASCAR’s press release. “I am confident that the strong team of leaders here at NASCAR and across the industry will accelerate the necessary changes to grow the sport and engage our passionate fans.”
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From NASCAR’s 1948 official founding until Helton’s promotion in 2000, the president’s chair was filled by Bill France Sr. (1948-71) and Bill France Jr. (1972-2000).
Jim France, 73, remains in the role of interim CEO in the absence of his nephew Brian France, who took an indefinite leave of absence after an August arrest in New York that included charges of DUI and possession of a controlled substance.
Jim France is the lone surviving member of NASCAR’s original founding family and the second of Bill France Sr.’s two children. He will presumably retain “final say” authority in Brian France’s absence or until a potential successor CEO is named, but Phelps, a Vermont native, will become the weekly face of the industry.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Steve Phelps as our leader,” said Jim France, who has communicated with the media only through press releases since taking on his current role in August. “His passion for NASCAR and proven ability to work with our partners has been unparalleled over the years. We thank Brent for his service and leadership to our sport. His energy and vision have been of tremendous benefit to our employees and our industry.”
Dewar will move into a “senior consulting and advisory role” beginning next year, according to the release.
During his NASCAR tenure, Phelps has often been front and center during roll-outs of NASCAR’s biggest marketing campaigns, including partnerships with Coca Cola, Monster Energy, Comcast and Camping World. Two years ago, he was promoted from Executive VP/Chief Marketing Officer to Executive VP/Chief Global Sales and Marketing Officer. Prior to joining NASCAR in 2005, he worked for 14 years with the National Football League.
Earlier this year, Phelps envisioned a possible change in NASCAR’s big-league sponsorship model. Monster Energy is expected to end its current title-sponsorship of NASCAR’s top-tier Cup Series after the 2019 season. Going forward, instead of one title sponsor, Phelps talked of possibly utilizing an umbrella group of sponsors, similar to what’s done with the Olympics.
“… We’re talking about broadening it, so it’s not just one company at the top of the pyramid, but it’s multiple categories, multiple companies that will allow us to make it easier,” he said in April. “We think there’s greater value, frankly, for the sponsors by doing this, but it will take the next level of collaboration within the industry.”
Nearly three months ago, with the exit of highly visible team sponsors (Lowe’s, 5-Hour Energy, some others) recently in the news, Phelps defended NASCAR’s current image.
“I think this industry tends to focus on the negative. I’m not really sure why,” he said. “It’s a lot sexier to talk about a Lowe’s or a 5-hour Energy leaving. Somehow, the dozen companies that come into this sport are not talked about as much. I would like to see the industry be positive because there are so many positive things going on.”
He suggested that 28 percent of Fortune 500 companies have invested in NASCAR in 2018.
“People tend to focus on, ‘Oh my gosh, Sponsor A has left and Sponsor B left,’ “ he said. “For us it’s, ‘OK, C, D, E and F also came on board as brand new sponsors.”
TNS
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