Steve Phelps Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor AVONDALE, Ariz. – As is custom at the season finale, NASCAR President Steve Phelps and Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell took to the stage in front of assembled media to discuss a range of topics currently concerning the sport in 2024. This year, the focus was on the recent race manipulation penalties at Martinsville, officiating challenges that have occurred in multiple series this year, charter negotiations, the Playoff format and whether the drivers vying for the championship are the most deserving, among others. After nearly anRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service AVONDALE, Ariz. – In the annual state-of-the sport press conference on Friday at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR president Steve Phelps anticipated the two questions of greatest interest to the broad range of NASCAR stakeholders and fans. Phelps gave an update on negotiations for media rights, with current agreements with FOX Sports and NBC ending after the 2024 season. NASCAR already has secured a stand-alone deal for its Xfinity Series broadcasts with the CW Network. “Our media rights, the amount of interest in attaining our mediaRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor AVONDALE, Ariz. – Ahead of the season finale at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR president Steve Phelps and Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell took to the stage to for the annual State of the Sport address, which recapped the sport’s 74th year of existence and looked ahead to the future. First and foremost was the safety of the Next Gen car, which Phelps discussed was designed to be a stronger car to protect against the massive hits, like the ones sustained by Ryan Newman at Daytona and JoeyRead More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service LAS VEGAS, Nev. — In an emotional speech to the media corps at his hometown track, Las Vegas native and former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kurt Busch announced Saturday morning that he will not be competing fulltime in the series going forward. Although Busch won’t be making another start in 2022 as he continues to recover from concussion-like symptoms suffered this summer, he remained hopeful that next year he will be able to run a few selected races for his 23XI Racing Toyota team.Read More

By Jeff Olson, NASCAR / IMSA Wire Service SEBRING, Fla. – It’s been nearly 46 years since a NASCAR entry competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jim France remembers talking to driver Dick Brooks shortly afterward. “He said, ‘No. 1, the fans love the car,’” said France, NASCAR’s chairman and CEO. “‘No. 2, it was a fantastic experience. No. 3, it’s a hell of a challenge.’”  NASCAR is about to relive that Le Mans challenge. In conjunction with Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, IMSA and Goodyear, NASCAR intends to fieldRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor AVONDALE, Ariz. – When the checkered flag waves on Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway, it will mark the end of an era. After a run of nine years, the current Gen 6 car, which has run through different iterations since 2013, will be retired and replaced by the Next Gen car, representing the biggest shakeup in the way NASCAR races in recent memory. As a part of championship weekend in Arizona, NASCAR President Steve Phelps took the podium for his annual State ofRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer A vision on what should be the most pivotal future in NASCAR history was finally realized Wednesday afternoon as NASCAR unveiled the Next Gen cars for the Cup Series that are set to debut in 2022. The unveil kicked off with one Cup driver per manufacturer pulling up to the stage, displaying its seventh generation car at full song. Naturally, the visualization was a sign that the old saying of “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” may ring true again. Defending Cup Series Chase ElliottRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service In the most challenging year in a history that has spanned more than seven decades, NASCAR racing has emerged stronger in the face of a coronavirus pandemic that interrupted the 2020 season, according to NASCAR president Steve Phelps. “What I would say is that, on March 8th, we were a sport that was coming back, right?” Phelps said on Friday during a Zoom video conference with reporters. “Our ratings had stabilized last year. Our attendance was going in the correct direction. “If you thinkRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Since the discovery of a noose hanging in the garage at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, NASCAR has been in the process of conducting its own investigation into the matter, releasing the findings in a Thursday teleconference. As NASCAR President Steve Phelps detailed, the timeline of events between Sunday and the conclusion of the investigation is as follows: The noose is found by a member of the No. 43 team sometime between inspection and pre-race on Sunday. Sunday, 4:30 pm: NASCAR is alerted to the presence ofRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor The FBI Office in Birmingham, Alabama has wrapped up its investigation into the noose found in the garage area of Bubba Wallace’s No. 43 car at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, concluding there was no hate crime committed. In a statement released by the agency Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr. summarized the results of the investigation, noting the noose had been present in that garage stall since last year. “On Monday, fifteen FBI special agents conductedRead More