Drivers Say NASCAR CEO Transition Brings Clarity Not Disruption
While the headlines suggest a major transition, those inside NASCAR say the sport’s direction remains steady under familiar leadership.
Drivers Say NASCAR CEO Move Brings Clarity Chris Graythen - Getty Images NASCAR has a new CEO and COO. It was big news revealed Saturday, made bigger by the fact that although he started in NASCAR in 1996 Steve O’Donnell has no ties to the France family, marking the first time in the sport’s history that a member from outside the family will be running the show. And while it may be big news outside the sport, the reality inside the sport is that this wasn’t a takeover.
It was a confirmation. Teams and drivers were briefed a day earlier via a teleconference led by O’Donnell, the new COO Ben Kennedy, and Lesa France Kennedy. The reaction was less shock and more quiet acknowledgment.
From where the industry sits, the people now holding the titles have already been holding the reins. Team Penske driver Austin Cindric hovers between a new guy, and a veteran. He was listening in on the call and came away with a pragmatic takeaway.
“I think, for me, does that change my day-to-day? Probably not directly right away,” he said Saturday. “But, otherwise, from just afar it definitely makes sense.
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