NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell said the company is showing “great momentum” after a difficult few years and touted NASCAR’s presence on multiple streaming platforms and the recently announced “Days of Thunder” sequel as opportunities to raise the company’s profile.
The auto racing company’s CEO said in an interview with CNBC’s Brian Sullivan that part of the company’s growing popularity among younger viewers is due to its ability to connect with fans online.
“Media partners are just the foundation of the sport that helps us grow,” he told CNBC.
NASCAR content is available worldwide through streaming, cable and digital platforms. fox, comcast’s NBC, Versant’s US network, Warner Brothers Discovery TNT Sports and Amazon According to various media reports, Prime Video is worth an estimated $7.7 billion thanks to a seven-year media rights deal.
Asked if the patchwork nature of exclusive racing rights might confuse viewers, O’Donnell said the breadth is actually an advantage.
“For us, it’s about how much of a front door can we provide for fans to experience NASCAR, where before they would probably just connect to one or two networks,” he said. “Looking at the long-term direction of media, we realized that in order to get younger, we need to try some different things. We need to go where some of our younger fans might be watching or watching for a few minutes.”
The release of “Days of Thunder 2,” a sequel to the 1990 hit, will be another way to gain new fans, O’Donnell said. Tom Cruise will reprise his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle, and Anne Hathaway will also co-star. Paramount Pictures is scheduled to be released in summer 2028, Cruise announced on social media.
O’Donnell said Cruz recently visited NASCAR headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla., and believes the sequel will bring new viewers to the league.
“He couldn’t have been more enthusiastic,” O’Donnell told CNBC. “Tom’s No. 1 message to us is, ‘Get ready, because I’m going to put people on it and they’re going to know what NASCAR is all about.’
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell during the Power Players event on September 10, 2026 in New York.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The global racing league F1 has enjoyed success in recent years, winning new fans through streaming and movies. Netflix “Drive to Survive” documentary series and apple’s The movie “F1” will be released in 2025.
Brad Pitt’s blockbuster became Apple’s highest-grossing film.
Similarly, Ford vs Ferrari, the biopic about the legendary team of British and American race car drivers, was one of the highest-grossing original films of 2019.
And while NASCAR is looking to expand its reach domestically, O’Donnell said it is “absolutely” open to international expansion.
The league currently only races in the United States and Mexico, but is also considering additional international venues.
Mr O’Donnell said brand recognition needed to be established internationally before plans for future race venues could be solidified.
“We don’t want to just export lace and throw it somewhere else,” O’Donnell said. “We want to build a culture where when you’re in Europe and you go to a race, you know it’s a NASCAR experience.”
O’Donnell was named CEO in April, replacing Jim France, becoming the league’s first CEO outside of the founding family.
Disclosure: Versant Media Group is the parent company of CNBC.
