NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell highlighted the league’s strong momentum and growth potential during an interview with CNBC. He credited NASCAR’s expanded media partnerships, which include seven-year agreements with major companies like Fox, NBC, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon Prime Video, and others, for significantly boosting the sport’s exposure across streaming, cable, and digital platforms. These partnerships have been instrumental in attracting a younger audience by meeting fans where they consume content today.

In addition to media growth, O’Donnell pointed to the upcoming sequel of the 1990 film “Days of Thunder” as a key opportunity to raise NASCAR’s brand awareness. The Paramount movie, scheduled for release in summer 2028, will see Tom Cruise reprising his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle, with Anne Hathaway co-starring. Cruise’s enthusiasm for the sport and his promotion of the film are expected to introduce NASCAR to new demographics, further expanding its fan base.

Despite NASCAR’s roots being strongly domestic, with races currently only in the U.S. and Mexico, O’Donnell indicated the company’s openness to international expansion. However, he emphasized the importance of first building brand awareness and a solid fan culture before launching races abroad. NASCAR aims to replicate its unique race-day atmosphere on the global stage rather than just placing events in foreign locations without proper groundwork.

O’Donnell took over as CEO in April 2026, becoming the first leader outside the founding family. He sees NASCAR’s future tied closely to its media strategy, fan engagement through digital platforms, and brand-building via entertainment collaborations. These efforts form the foundation for both sustained domestic growth and exploring new international markets in the coming years.