Phelps (r) will start his new role October 1, marking his third promotion this yearGETTY IMAGES
NASCAR today announced that COO STEVE PHELPS will replace President BRENT DEWAR, confirming recent industry talk that Dewar’s time at the company was nearing an end. Phelps will become NASCAR President on Oct. 1, while Dewar will remain with the company through ’18 before moving into what is being called a senior consulting and advisory role in ’19. Dewar’s departure had long been rumored, as Sports Business Journal reported in August that his role had been reduced so significantly that he could leave the sanctioning body within months. Dewar was hired in ’14 by now-suspended Chair & CEO BRIAN FRANCE, and sources had been buzzing for months that Dewar was making less appearances at industry meetings as his standing with the France family appeared to be fading. This marks Phelps' third promotion just this year, underscoring how his stock has been rising with the France family recently. NASCAR in a press release referred to interim Chair & CEO JIM FRANCE without the interim title, but the sanctioning body said it was an oversight and that France still holds the position on an interim basis. The expectation is that Brian France will not return to his former role, but NASCAR has yet to confirm that.
