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Kyle Busch makes his pick for Steve Phelps replacement after NASCAR commissioner exit

Meby: Nick Geddes01/14/26NickGeddesNews

Steve Phelps resigned as NASCAR commissioner this past Tuesday. NASCAR said in its statement there were “no immediate plans” to replace Phelps, though Kyle Busch has a name in mind.

The two-time Cup Series champion spoke with the media Tuesday at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Busch said that Mike Helton would be his pick to become the next commissioner of NASCAR.

“I don’t know the ins and outs of all of what Phelps did but just through some of the rumblings, his ability of being able to talk amongst all of the key partners — the OEMs, the league personnel below him and of course the teams, owners and things like that, TV people, radio people — handling all the businesses and getting all media rights things the way that he did, he was very charismatic. So, who does that now is probably a tough spot, but we’ll see what happens with that,” Busch said, via Peter Stratta of TSJSports. “I’d put Helton back in if it were me.”

Helton, 72, currently serves a vice chairman of NASCAR. He started his career in the sport in 1980 and in 2000 became the first non-member of the France family to be named president of NASCAR. Helton served as a president until 2015 and was a key figure behind the scenes during the league’s boom period in the early to mid 2000s.

When Phelps was named the league’s first commissioner last spring, Steve O’Donnell stepped in as the sixth president of NASCAR. Should NASCAR look to eventually fill that role, O’Donnell would appear to be the leader of the clubhouse. Busch shared his thoughts on that possibility.

“Everybody always said he was the new Helton,” Busch said. “I don’t mind Steve. I like O’Donnell… but there’s shoes to fill and whether he’s that guy, more power to it.”

Steve Phelps resignation leaves NASCAR without commissioner

As for Phelps, his departure came one month after NASCAR went to trial against Cup teams 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. The teams filed an antitrust lawsuit against the sanctioning body and its CEO Jim France, alleging monopolistic practices. The discovery process revealed several text messages and emails which raised concerns about Phelps’ leadership.

In an August 2023 text exchange with Brian Herbst, NASCAR chief media and revenue officer, Phelps said that longtime team owner Richard Childress should be “taken out back and flogged.” Phelps called him a “stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR.” Phelps’ comments came after Childress publicly criticized the Next Gen car and the media rights deal that was still being negotiated. During his trial testimony, Phelps expressed regret over the text messages. He said he apologized to Childress even before the messages became public.

During the trial, Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris called for Phelps to step down or be fired. Bass Pro Shops is a major sponsor for the league. One day after Morris’ open letter, the two teams settled after eight days in court.

Phelps joined the league in 2005 as vice president of corporate marketing. He was promoted in 2018 to chief operating officer before being named the fifth NASCAR president later that year. Phelps became the league’s first commissioner in the spring of 2025.

Among his accomplishments, leading NASCAR to become one of the first leagues to return to action during the COVID-19 pandemic and finish its 38-race season. Phelps helped negotiate the 2025-2031 media rights deal, worth $7.7 billion.