Throughout his tenure as president of NASCAR, Steve Phelps has faced numerous challenges and made significant changes to the sport. Phelps recently expressed regret for the timing of his appointment in 2018, during what he referred to as NASCAR's 'dark age'. At that time, the sport was grappling with declining fan attendance and TV ratings. However, Phelps, who grew up attending races with his father, brought his marketing expertise to NASCAR in 2004 and became president in 2018. Despite the difficult transition, Phelps implemented changes such as the Next Gen car and race schedule revamps, which have led to an improvement in NASCAR's viewership rates. Phelps and Jim France were credited with stopping the decline of the sport and preparing it for the future in the entertainment landscape [f134665d].
While Phelps has made significant strides in revitalizing NASCAR, novel issues continue to arise that require attention. The sport must navigate these challenges to ensure its continued success and growth in the ever-changing landscape of motorsport [f134665d].