There is reportedly major change in NASCAR coming up. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic claims that Jim France will step down from his position as CEO of NASCAR. France will remain as Chairman. President Steve O’Donnell is set to take his place as CEO.
Jim France took over as CEO in 2018 when Brian France stepped down from the position. In 2025, France became one of the central figures in the NASCAR antitrust lawsuit that was brought on by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. At 81 years old, France has apparently decided to step down.
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Bianchi also says that Ben Kennedy is lined up to become COO. He is the next in the France-family line to take on a major leadership role. With O’Donnell as the presumed replacement, the France family won’t have a direct blood relative at the helm of the sport Bill France Sr. founded.
Jim France and Michael Jordan meet in victory lane and shake hands after Tyler Reddick’s Daytona 500 win. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
During the antitrust trial, Jim France took a lot of heat. As the CEO and leader of the sport, that was somewhat expected. Still, the trial left France and NASCAR on their heels as they scrambled to come up with a late settlement and shifted focus to the 2026 season.
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If this is the end of the France era of leaderships, for now, it will be interesting to see where the sport goes. Does O’Donnell make sense long-term? Does NASCAR need to try and look elsewhere for leadership? Time will tell.
During his tenure, Jim France has tried to avoid the spotlight. He was unable to do that during the trial given the circumstances of the entire ordeal. Now, it seems that he is on the way out. NASCAR is still entering a new era despite being in year five of the Next Gen or Gen 7 car. Change is just a little slow at times in a sport focused on going fast.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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