14 months of talks, legal proceedings, and media trial later, NASCAR finally decided to fold in front of 23XI Racing and FRM, opting to settle the case on the ninth day of the jury trial. Heading into the trial, the sport was already in a weak spot, thanks to all the evidence against them that had gone public. The sport’s top brass’ leaked conversation further jeopardized their situation, leaving them little hope for recovery.
Then came Jim France’s two-day testimony, which ended up being the final nail in the coffin for the sport. France’s ‘brick wall’ persona all but proved the complainants’ take. And with everything now out in the open, a veteran insider feels that it is now time to see a leadership change for NASCAR to step into the future.
NASCAR Insider Calls for Jim France To Step Down as CEO
As the witness testimonies began in the jury trial, it was time for Steve Phelps and Steve O’Donnell to take the stand; both top officials seemed to be batting for the teams. However, when it was France’s turn to face the music, his stance remained the same. The 81-year-old remained unmoved, making it clear that things would not change in his eyes.
France’s dodgy testimony was riddled with “I don’t know and “I don’t remember” explanations, as he even rejected O’Donnell’s claims, without wanting to call him a liar. The financial side of things carried no better explanation, giving Judge Kenneth Bell a clear idea of what the root cause of the problem was.
Taking everything into account, The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck feels that a change is needed in the CEO position, and it is needed now. While there is a lot of buzz around coming up with ways that will allow NASCAR to move forward, Gluck says that nothing will happen until France is still in charge.
In Gluck’s eyes, the only man capable of bringing that change is another France family member, Ben Kennedy.
“Much of the talk now is regarding the ways NASCAR can move forward, but can anything really change as long as France is still at the helm? At age 81, it’s time for him to step aside and pass NASCAR down to the next France family member. And whom would that be? Ben Kennedy, the 33-year-old great-grandson of Bill France Sr. and the son of Lesa France Kennedy.”
Gluck added that while Kennedy was certainly young to be a CEO, he had still spent a lifetime around the sport. Moreover, with each passing year, the 33-year-old has taken on more responsibility, instilling confidence in Gluck that he will be a worthy CEO.
Notably, France has been in charge of the CEO position since 2018, after taking interim charge of the post amid Bill France Jr.’s arrest for DUI in 2018. While he has remained in the post ever since, Kennedy has learned the ropes of the sport’s senior management since 2020.
Having started as the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Racing Development, Kennedy became the Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer in 2024. And if Gluck’s words come true, he will be the next CEO of NASCAR.
