Steve Phelps

President, NASCAR, Daytona Beach

When Steve Phelps was appointed president of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), he says he heard a lot about how the sport wasn’t doing very well. Five years later, the conversation has changed. Only the fifth person to hold this position since the organization’s founding, Phelps said NASCAR is more relevant than ever and one survey shows it to be one of the top 10 fastest-growing brands with Gen Z. Phelps oversees all operations, competition and commercial, for the sanctioning body, including the management of 15 racetrack facilities and the International Motor Sports Association sports car series. NASCAR celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, and in looking to expand the audience for the sport added a race on the streets of Chicago, which Phelps says has prompted interest from other cities. A native of Vermont, Phelps resides in Daytona Beach and has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont and an MBA from Boston College. Before joining NASCAR, he worked for 14 years in the NFL.