Steve O’Donnell To Be A Featured Speaker at the 7th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK
Steve O’Donnell, President of NASCAR, has joined the impressive and growing lineup of featured speakers for the 7th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK, taking place Monday through Thursday, November 30 – December 3, 2026.
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About Steve O’Donnell:
Steve O’Donnell was appointed CEO of NASCAR in April 2026, the first person outside of the France family to hold the position. Known as a master collaborator, O’Donnell is responsible for all strategic and operational leadership for NASCAR, its affiliated racing series and businesses – all while creating synergies and partnerships with the wider NASCAR industry.
Previously, he served as President since March of 2025, only the sixth individual to hold this position since the organization’s founding in 1948. In that role, O’Donnell was responsible for the day-to-day leadership of all three NASCAR National Series, IMSA and all NASCAR commercial, media and track operations, as well as its four international series and multiple local and grassroots properties.
Prior to being appointed President, O’Donnell held the role of Chief Operating Officer. In that position, he oversaw multiple departments within the company related to Competition with an emphasis on positioning NASCAR and its state-of-the-art Research & Development Center as a leader in innovation, technology and product relevance. In addition, he also led all NASCAR-owned track properties, track presidents and respective events, as well as International development, medical, security, membership and registration areas of the business.
Under his purview, O’Donnell has helped elevate the fan event experience at NASCAR’s racetracks, which include some of the world’s top venues such as Daytona International Speedway.
Prior to his elevation to COO, O’Donnell held the position of Chief Racing Development Officer until 2022, leading NASCAR’s Competition arm during an era that included several vital innovative advancements, including the introduction of the Gen-6 NASCAR Cup Series race car, the current Next Gen car and the implementation of the current iteration of the postseason Chase format for all three of NASCAR’s national series.
He is also a member of the company’s Executive Council and holds positions on the NASCAR Hall of Fame nominating committee and voting panel.
A true example of rising through the ranks, O’Donnell has worked in various areas in the company since joining NASCAR in 1996 as a marketing services representative. After being promoted to manage that group – including work on NASCAR’s 50th Anniversary project – he was elevated to Director of Series Marketing. From there, he moved to Competition as Managing Director of Events and Operations to head the All-American Series and Touring Series before being promoted to Vice President of Racing Operations in charge of the national series. In 2008, he was named to Sports Business Journal’s prestigious “Forty Under 40” list.
Born in New Jersey, O’Donnell spent much of his childhood in Egypt with his parents, who were both educators. He moved back to the United States to attend Rollins College in Winter Park. Prior to joining NASCAR, O’Donnell worked in minor league baseball with the Daytona Tortugas and as an account manager with the Citrus Bowl.
O’Donnell is based in Daytona Beach, Fla. and lives in Sanford, Fla., with his wife Erin. He has two children, son Ryan and daughter Shannon.
