NASCAR named longtime General Motors exec BRENT DEWAR as COO. Dewar will oversee the commercial side of NASCAR and report to CEO & Chair BRIAN FRANCE. CMO STEVE PHELPS, VP/Strategic Development ERIC NYQUIST, VP/Broadcasting & Production STEVE HERBST and other senior leaders will report to him. NASCAR President MIKE HELTON will continue to oversee the racing and competition side of the business and Senior VP/Racing Operations STEVE O’DONNELL will report to him. In his role as COO, Dewar will be responsible for implementing NASCAR’s industry action plan, a marketing plan designed to develop new fans for the sport. Dewar said, “It’s going to be Brian and Mike and I trying to accelerate the pace (of that plan). I’ve had a chance to work with Brian on his vision for where the industry should go. I’m going to work with the team to help on the execution side.” Dewar this year worked alongside McKinsey & Company on an effort to modernize NASCAR’s competition division. The effort resulted in an overhaul of NASCAR’s rules-making process, officiating system and penalty and appeals processes. France in a statement said, "Brent brings creativity, drive, intelligence, operational acumen and a clear understanding of our assets and challenges to NASCAR. He's a leader who's naturally collaborative, an essential trait as we work more closely with the OEMs, teams, tracks, broadcast partners and others to grow the sport over the next decade." Dewar will start work Jan. 6 and plans to relocate to Daytona Beach, Fla., where NASCAR is headquartered. In addition to naming Dewar COO, NASCAR announced it had promoted Phelps from Senior VP & CMO to Exec VP; O'Donnell from Senior VP/Racing Operations to Exec VP; and General Counsel GARY CROTTY to Chief Legal Officer.
