The term 'commissioner' is something fans of most stick-and-ball sports are extremely familiar with. The NFL has Roger Goodell, the NBA has Adam Silver, the MLB has Rob Manfred, but it's a role that hasn't really existed in the same form in NASCAR.
Now, stock car racing has used the title before, but not in the traditional sense. It's been purely ceremonial or limited in its actual power. But now, it's very real with quite a lot of power behind it as Steve Phelps has been elevated to this newly established role of commissioner. Phelps will directly oversee all 15 NASCAR divisions and IMSA. Phelps has worked for NASCAR in some role for the last two decades and has been president since 2018. Where the commissioner role comes in is what's next for the sport — as one of the pillars of Phelps' new role will be international expansion, which has been on the sport's radar from some time.
