Insider drops bombshell news as NASCAR reportedly looks to sell minority stake in the sport for the first time ever

NASCAR president, Steve Phelps revealed the future of NASCAR while talking to Sports Business Journal. He talked about the possibility of having foreign investment for the first time in their history.

According to President Steve Phelps, NASCAR is actively exploring global expansion and potential outside investments. The organization is in the "exploration phase," developing plans for 2026 and beyond, aiming to increase its international footprint similarly to the NBA. NASCAR is aggressively pursuing global expansion and exploring outside investment to accelerate its growth, potentially marking a historic shift for the France family-owned company.

Steve Phelps has indicated that NASCAR is open to accepting private equity, citing the benefits of increased capital, expertise, and sponsorship opportunities.

“We’re in right now what I would call the exploration phase, so we’re trying to build out our plans for ’26 and beyond, but it’s kind of like the NBA,” Phelps said. “Twenty years ago, their international footprint looked significantly different than it does today. My expectation is ours is going to continue to grow. There’s lots of opportunities for us.”

“We are absolutely looking at that, and I think it’s smart for us to do that,” Phelps said of evaluating whether to accept a private equity investment. “Whether anything will happen there I don’t know, but we need to be smart about how we’re going to grow globally, and right now we’re doing it kind of one country at a time and doing it through grassroots racing and bringing a race to Mexico. We’re on the right path, but in my opinion, we need to accelerate that and that’s something that we’re looking at hard.”

NASCAR's efforts include potentially hosting its 2026 Clash event in Brazil and exploring race locations in Canada, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and within the U.S., like New York City and Seattle. The push for international growth aligns with a broader restructuring within NASCAR, with Phelps focusing on global expansion and COO Steve O'Donnell handling day-to-day operations.

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NASCAR’s Steve Phelps confirmed talks with OEMs to futurise current charters among other aspects

NASCAR is actively engaging with its three existing Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) - Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota - to shape the future of the sport, focusing on the potential integration of hybrid fuel technology, powerplant evolution, body style enhancements, and fuel options. To SBJ, Phelps said:

"What’s the (future) powerplant going to look like? What’s the fuel going to look like? What is the body style going to look like? How do we differentiate the series?’ All those things we are working with our (original equipment) partners on today," said Phelps.

These discussions are driven by a need to differentiate the series and align with broader sustainability initiatives, as seen with Formula 1's push for 100% sustainable fuels by 2026