Phelps during his presser noted that Jim France has been at every race since taking on his new roleGETTY IMAGES
NASCAR President Steve Phelps in his first news conference in the position yesterday was "not able to answer if the France family is looking to sell some or all of NASCAR, or discuss NASCAR’s recent bid to purchase all of sister company ISC’s public stock," according to Jenna Fryer of the AP. However, Phelps, speaking before the Monster Energy Cup Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, said the sport's "best days are ahead." Phelps: "If you look at the message that has been sent ... it’s that we’re going to double down on this sport because we believe in it. We believe this sport is going to grow." Fryer noted Brian France had "typically represented NASCAR at the annual event," but he remains on leave as Chair & CEO "following his August arrest on drunk driving charges." Jim France stepped into the role, and then "'interim' was dropped from his title shortly after the change." Phelps said, “I can’t speak to if Brian is coming back or not. I do know that Jim France is our chairman and CEO. I do know that Jim France is incredibly involved in this sport, at the racetrack, off the racetrack. I can assure you that Jim France is talking to a lot of people. He’s talking to Roger Penske and he’s talking to Jack Roush and he’s talking to racetrack owners. He’s talking to drivers. He’s talking to sponsors." Fryer noted at least four times during the presser, Phelps "stressed that Jim France is now running NASCAR" -- even though he is "primarily behind the scenes." Since Brian France "replaced his father," Bill France Jr., in '03, he has been "soundly criticized throughout the industry as absent and aloof." Phelps noted that Jim France has been at "every race since taking on his new role" (AP, 11/18).
POSITIVE ABOUT SPONSORSHIPS: Phelps also touched on sponsorship issues in NASCAR, and acknowledged that he has been "accused of being pollyannish before." However he said that he "state of sponsorship in this sport continues to accelerate in a positive manner." Phelps: “I went to a Penske summit ... and I was speaking to Bud Denker, Tim Cindric, and they were saying, hey, we have 15 new sponsors here. That's fantastic. You talk to Joe Gibbs; hey, we’ve got a bunch of new sponsors here, sponsors that have been signed at the sanctioning body. We’re always seeking to have new sponsors in the sport. We have a competitive advantage over other sports, I believe, because of our great fan base. Our fans understand what it means to be a sponsor of NASCAR" (MOTORSPORT.com, 11/18).
OTHER ISSUES: Phelps also confirmed that NASCAR will have to renegotiate the five-year track sanctions in order to shake up the '20 schedule, because the sanctions in place do not expire until after '20. He added that NASCAR is open to looking at doubleheaders with IndyCar, identifying NBC Sports among those who would like to see that happen (Adam Stern, THE DAILY).
