"Jim France wanted change and we'll support him": When Roger Penske backed NASCAR's new direction

Roger Penske once backed Jim France for NASCAR's then-new direction amid rumors of selling the stock car racing league. In 2019, Penske supported several changes France had planned for the sport, including a decrease in horsepower rating in pack racing.

Penske is an American businessman who debuted his NASCAR race team, Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing), in 1972. He has worked with different higher-ups from the France family, including Jim France, who took over the CEO role after nephew Brian France was arrested in 2018 on DWI.

In a report by The Detroit News in February 2019, Roger Penske showed approval of Jim France and the changes planned for NASCAR.

“Jim France wanted change and we will support him,” Penske said.

The team owner also supported Steve Phelps who became NASCAR president in October 2018, saying:

“Phelps coming in, and he and Jim are making changes, they have looked at their overheads. I think they understand that the costs continue to escalate and we’ve got to turn it around and spend money that’s rational.”

However, Roger Penske opposed the extension of the racing schedule to 38 weekends.

“There’s no question the show is too long. I think we’ve got to be looking at the schedule and maybe not run 38 weekends. That is almost too much, and I think they understand that and I think they understand there is a lot of work to be done in making this smoother,” he said.

Jim France during the Historic North Turn Legends Parade in 2020 - Source: Imagn

The 2019 NASCAR season witnessed the introduction of a reworked pack racing rules that lowered the horsepower to 550 hp at tracks like Daytona International Speedway. This resulted in slower but closer racing, with cars heavily relying on drafting.

The league also implemented more stringent rules, including disqualification for a winning car that would fail post-race inspection. Another was fining drivers for skipping media duties.

During the 2019 NASCAR season, Team Penske was the defending champion after Joey Logano secured his first of three titles.

Roger Penske with Joey Logano after winning the NASCAR Cup championship in 2022 - Source: Imagn

In addition to NASCAR, Team Penske competes in other racing series, including the IndyCar Series and the IMSA SportsCar Championship. The team also fields drivers in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the global endurance racing counterpart of America's IMSA.

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NASCAR CEO Jim France appointed ex-F1 executive to improve brand, media relations

Last December 2024, NASCAR Chief Executive Officer Jim France hired Craig Stimmel as senior vice president and chief commercial officer. Stimmel oversees the league's sales department, including partnerships with sponsors and media.

Speaking about Stimmel, NASCAR Executive Vice President Brian Herbst said (via Jayski.com):

"NASCAR has the most brand-loyal fans and many of the most recognized sponsorships in professional sports, and Craig brings all the acumen to build upon our roster of tremendous partners and continue to deepen the engagement with our fans."

Stimmel comes to NASCAR with experience in global sales for brands like WWE and Snapchat. Notably, Stimmel was previously the senior vice president of commercial for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, F1's latest race weekend in the US.