By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

NASCAR announced Tuesday that Steve Phelps will be leaving his position as Commissioner of the stock car sanctioning body after a two-decade long career in the sport’s executive leadership.

The decision was Phelps’ and NASCAR leaders offered the 63-year old Vermont-native praise for the legacy and accomplishments he leaves behind over a long career of guiding the sport – noting “a legacy of leadership and a strategic vision that delivered significant growth and lasting innovation, championed equity and social justice initiatives, and created industry-wide opportunities for all stakeholders.”

Phelps held the helm of the sport through a modern-era time of both great challenges – such as navigating the COVID pandemic – and noted triumphs, such as a broader international presence and multi-billion-dollar media rights agreements.

“As a lifelong race fan, it gives me immense pride to have served as NASCAR’s first Commissioner and to lead our great sport through so many incredible challenges, opportunities and firsts over my 20 years,’’ Phelps said.

“Our sport is built on the passion of our fans, the dedication of our teams and partners and the commitment of our wonderful employees. It has been an honor to help synthesize the enthusiasm of long-standing NASCAR stakeholders and that of new entrants to our ecosystem, such as media partners, auto manufacturers, track operators and incredible racing talent.”

Among Phelps’ legacies as a leader is what many in the sport consider a “transformational” new schedule in NASCAR’s big leagues, from the holding the annual “Clash” preseason feature at California’s famed Los Angeles Coliseum to adding races again at some of NASCAR’s favored venerable facilities such as North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway and Raleigh’s Bowman Gray Stadium to adding first-time street races in Chicago and this year in San Diego, as well as bringing NASCAR internationally to a well-received event in Mexico City last season.

Among the highlights under Phelps’ tenure, NASCAR completed its merger with International Speedway Corporation (ISC) in 2019 and launched the Next Gen race car in 2022 – only the seventh new car in the sport’s history. He is also credited with leading the sport’s outreach to new fans and of course, securing a long-term media rights deal, and overseeing the sport’s innovative charter agreements.

“Steve will forever be remembered as one of NASCAR’s most impactful leaders,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said, calling it an “honor” to work alongside Phelps.

“For decades he has worked tirelessly to thrill fans, support team and execute a vision for the sport that has treated us all to some of the greatest moments in our nearly 80-year history,” France said.

Phelps thanked the France family, colleagues, friends and fans for playing an “important and motivational role in my career” said he plans to “embark on new pursuits in sports and other industries.”

The reigning NASCAR Cup Series championship Hendrick Motorsports organization released a statement thanking Phelps for his ‘leadership and dedication to NASCAR” noting he “helped our sport navigate opportunities, challenges and periods of significant change while positioning it for the future.”

No successor to Phelps has been named and in a statement announcing Phelps planned departure, NASCAR said, “there are no immediate plans to replace the Commissioner role or to seek outside leadership as the administration of his responsibilities will be delegated internally through NASCAR’s President and executive leadership team.”

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

AVONDALE, AZ — When William Byron hit the Turn 3 wall with bone-jarring impact on Lap 310 of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, the gut punch it delivered to Denny Hamlin was exponentially more painful.

The resulting caution and strategic call by crew chief Cliff Daniels allowed Kyle Larson to snatch the Cup Series championship from Hamlin without leading a lap at Phoenix Raceway.

Larson finished third behind race winner Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski to claim his second title in NASCAR’s top division and the 15th for team owner Rick Hendrick as the highest finisher among the Championship 4 drivers—Hamlin, Byron and Chase Briscoe.

It was the 15th Cup championship for team owner Rick Hendrick, and it came with a major plot twist in the final stage.

With the scheduled 312 laps winding down, Hamlin led Byron by nearly three seconds and appeared headed for the first Cup title in his 20 full-time seasons behind the wheel of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

In dominating fashion, Hamlin led seven times for 207 laps. Though he battled a balky clutch and rallied from a flat left-rear tire after winning the second stage, he failed to win the championship for the fifth time under the elimination Playoff format.

Instead, it was Larson who went to Victory Lane to receive the Bill France Cup, almost in disbelief.

“Honestly, I can’t believe it,” Larson said. “Like, we didn’t lead a lap today. Somehow won the championship. I mean, really, I’m just speechless. I can’t believe it. We had an average car at best.”

After Byron’s wreck, which sent the race to overtime, Daniels opted for two right-side tires for the second straight pit stop. Hamlin pitted from the lead and took fresh rubber on all four corners.

But with Keselowski, Ryan Preece and Alex Bowman staying out on older tires, and Blaney, Larson, Joey Logano, Josh Berry, Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott taking right sides only, Hamlin lined up 10th for the overtime restart—five spots behind Larson—and chose the bottom row for the final run.

From the outside lane, Larson charged through the first two corners and maintained a gap between his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and Hamlin’s Camry. On the final lap, Hamlin lost momentum on the bottom in Turns 1 and 2 and couldn’t recover.

He finished sixth, as Blaney edged Keselowski by 0.097 seconds for the race win.

Larson got the confidence he needed on the first two-tire call under caution on Lap 281. He restarted second beside Briscoe and was able to maintain fifth place before Byron hit the wall.

“We had the right front go down (earlier), lost a lap,” Larson said. “Got saved by the caution. Did the wave-around. Was really bad that run. We took two tires. I was like, “Oh, God, here we go. We’re going to go to the back now.’

“It had a lot more grip than I anticipated. We got lucky with the final caution. I was really hoping we were going to take two again. I felt like I learned a lot on that restart, bombing (Turns) 1 and 2 really hard. Thought I could do the same thing if we got another one.

“Just unbelievable. What a year by this Hendrick Motorsports (team). Cliff Daniels, everybody, his leadership, his complete leadership just showed that whole race. Keeping us all motivated. Always having a plan. All of that. That’s just the story of our season.

“Again, just unbelievable. I cannot believe it. This is insane.”

Doubtless, Hamlin would agree. He and his team brought the fastest car to Phoenix and executed a near-flawless race. The clutch issue and flat left-rear tire were challenges the No.11 team overcame without panicking.

But the championship eluded Hamlin once again.

“Did the best I could,” Hamlin said. “Everything I really prepared for happened today. I felt like we responded. Even losing track position at one point, just battling back. Did really well on restarts. Hadn’t been good on restarts for the bulk of the year.

“Yeah, the team brought a great championship car. I felt like I drove it just right up until two laps to go. Yeah, this is the part that stinks…

“Golly, in this moment I never want to race a car ever again,” Hamlin said with a wry smile. “I mean, my fun meter is pegged.”

Blaney’s win was almost an afterthought, but it also was tantalizingly close to a second championship for the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford. Blaney finished second to Byron in a must-win situation last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway—one spot away from qualifying for the Championship 4.

“It’s just cool to end it on a good note,” Blaney said. “It’s just cool, and obviously we had a fast car all day. Those other guys (Hamlin and Byron) were just kind of faster getting going, and I could never retain the lead.

“Those guys were just really good, and it took my car a while to come in, but it was a really good call for two (tires) there and keeping track position. I got a decent restart, and I was able to kind of roll the bottom in (Turns) 3 and 4 and eke the 6 (Keselowski) out at the line.”

Byron, who finished 33rd after leading 52 laps and winning the first stage, expressed sympathy for Hamlin, even though the Lap 310 accident gave his teammate the chance to win the title.

“I’m just super bummed that it was a caution, obviously,” Byron said. “I hate that. Hate it for Denny. I hate it for the 11 team.

“I’m happy for Kyle, for Mr. Hendrick, they deserve it. Yeah, it stinks, right? I don’t know, three laps to go, I’m thinking, ‘Let me get to the end.’

“I felt something funny off of two, thought it might be a flat. I thought at the time if it’s left rear, you can kind of get back. It just went straight into (Turn) 3. Laid down on the right rear, went straight (into the wall). I hate that.”

Briscoe rallied from flat tires twice on Sunday, restarted 15th in overtime and finished 18th.

In a race that featured nine cautions for 65 laps, Logano finished fourth, followed by Busch and Hamlin. Berry, Michael McDowell, Preece, Elliott and Christopher Bell completed the top 10.

Blaney led 20 laps in securing his fourth win of the season and the 17th of his career. The win was his first at Phoenix after three straight runner-up finishes in the Championship Race. In 2023, however, second place was good enough to earn Blaney his only series title to date.

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Moments after Judge Kenneth D. Bell announced a settlement agreement and dismissed the jury Thursday in the case of “23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports v. NASCAR,” the healing already had begun.

NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell was smiling as he slapped Michael Jordan on the back. The co-owner of 23XI, one of the plaintiffs in the case, smiled back and the two men—adversaries in the antitrust litigation just a day earlier—talked pleasantly for a moment.

In a joint statement issued after the settlement was reached, NASCAR and the two race teams indicated that a form of evergreen charters, a major issue during the trial, would become a reality.

“As a condition of the settlement agreement, NASCAR will issue an amendment to existing charter holders detailing the updated terms for signature, which will include a form of ‘evergreen’ charters, subject to mutual agreement,” according to the statement. “The financial terms of the settlement are confidential and will not be released.”

After negotiations that lasted two-and-a-half years, 13 NASCAR Cup Series teams signed the 2025 charter agreement. Front Row and 23XI did not and ultimately filed the antitrust litigation that went to trial on Dec. 1.

Under Wednesday’s settlement, 23XI and Front Row will retain their charters.

Roughly 40 minutes after Bell thanked the jury for its service and told the nine jurors that the trial was over, the opposing parties stood together on the Western District of North Carolina courthouse steps to talk about the settlement.

“Like two competitors, obviously we try to get as much done in each other’s favor,” Jordan said, “but I think, collectively, and I don’t think (NASCAR chairman and CEO) Jim (France) was any opposite of me, the fans have always been the best solution to this whole problem and to the sport itself.

“The only way—and I’ve said this from day one—the only way this sport’s going to grow is that we have to find some synergy between the two entities. I think we’ve gotten to that point. Unfortunately, it took 16 months to get here, but I think level heads have got us to this point to where we can actually work together and grow the sport.

“I’m very proud about that, and I think Jim feels the same.”

“I do feel the same,” France responded. “We can get back to focusing on what we really love, and that’s racing. We’ve spent a lot of time not really focused on that so much as we need to be.

“I feel like we’ve made a very good decision here together, and we have a big opportunity to keep growing the sport. We’ve got (23XI co-owner) Denny Hamlin getting ready to go for a championship, and we need to focus on what we all love.”

Asked what the impetus was that brought the parties to agreement on the ninth day of the trial, Jordan replied, “Level heads. In all honesty, when you get to the finish line sometimes, you have to think not just for yourself, but you’ve got to think about the sport as a whole.

“And I think both parties got to that point, and we realized that we could have an opportunity to settle this, and we dove in and we actually did it. Unfortunately, it took us that long, but we got here, and that’s all that matters.”

Though he didn’t discuss specifics of the agreement, Hamlin clearly was pleased with the result.

“I feel like everything within this settlement is going to grow the sport,” Hamlin said. “And it’s going to be better for everyone—no doubt about it.”

Early Thursday morning, it was clear that the ninth session of the trial would not be like the preceding eight. The video screens that display court documents on either side of the courtroom were nowhere to be seen.

Plaintiffs lead attorney Jeffrey Kessler huddled with Hamlin, Jordan, Front Row owner Bob Jenkins and 23XI co-owner Curtis Polk on the left side of the courtroom. Soon thereafter, NASCAR outside counsel John Stephenson conferred with France and NASCAR executive vice chair Lesa France Kennedy.

Later, Bell entered the courtroom, called for the jurors and immediately dismissed them after telling them, “We need an hour so we can save you several hours.”

The resolution took longer than that, as lawyers for the parties prepared the settlement agreement.

Finally, NASCAR outside counsel Lawrence E. Buterman produced the document, and Bell began to read.

“Have the parties agreed to settle all issues before the jury?” Bell asked. The respective lawyers affirmed the agreement.

Bell then summoned the jurors for the final time, thanked them for their service and told them the case was over.

Bell concluded with the statement that “I wish we could’ve done this two months ago (during a settlement conference). I believe this is great for NASCAR, great for the future of NASCAR, great for the entity of NASCAR, great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”