Pemberton leaving NASCAR, to be replaced by Miller

UPDATE

NASCAR announced today that Scott Miller has joined the organization as Senior Vice President of Competition, responsible for managing all competition efforts related to technology, inspection, rule development and officiating across NASCAR's wide portfolio of racing. Miller will report directly to Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell, and work closely with Senior Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn. All three are based at NASCAR's Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C. Miller most recently served as Executive Vice President of Competition at Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR).
There he was responsible for managing all areas of competition. During his four-year tenure, MWR teams qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup in 2012, 2013, and 2015. "We're pleased to have Scott, an executive with a wide range of racing experience, join our team," O'Donnell said. "He will be an immediate asset to NASCAR, our teams and each of our national series. Scott has worked in a collaborative spirit throughout his career, and represents the forward-looking approach we celebrate within our competition team." A respected leader within the garage area, Miller has more than two decades of NASCAR experience.
Prior to his stint at MWR, he served in competition leadership roles at Richard Childress Racing. There he also helped lead teams into The Chase as both a crew chief and while serving as the Vice President of Competition. As a crew chief, Miller enjoyed his most successful season in 2008 when he called veteran Jeff Burton to two wins, seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes en route to a sixth-place championship points finish. In all, the Bardstown, Ky., native has six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins as a crew chief. "I'm looking forward to using the experience I've gained working within teams in an entirely new way at NASCAR," Miller said.
"Our sport has evolved quickly over the last several seasons through advanced technology and its creative application in the garage area. We will strive to continue this forward momentum while assuring a level playing field and competitive racing. It's a challenging opportunity and a logical next step for me. I can't wait to get started." Prior to his focus on the mechanical side of motorsports, Miller got his start as a motorcycle racer, eventually advancing to the national level in AMA Motocross. He made the transition to race cars in 1981 and was competing in NASCAR shortly after. In 1983, he was an owner/driver in the NASCAR Winston West Series. He spent five seasons in IndyCar where he worked as a chief mechanic before joining Tri-Star Motorsports in 1995, competing weekly on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit.
Robin Pemberton back in 2008
Robin Pemberton back in 2008

12/01/15 NASCAR announced that Senior Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton will leave the organization at the end of 2015. With a racing career that has spanned five decades, Pemberton joined the sanctioning body in August of 2004. Since that time, he has overseen all areas of NASCAR competition and been credited as a key component in bridging the gap between the sanctioning body and the racing community.

"Robin has left an indelible mark on the sport while at NASCAR," said NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton. "He joined us at a critical time and very quickly gave our highly visible competition group the credibility and confidence it needed to be successful with the industry. He traded a successful career as a competitor to help lead the sport for 12 seasons. We're extremely grateful for his many contributions."

During Pemberton's tenure, NASCAR has seen a great number of technical and safety advancements. Against the backdrop of the massive NASCAR Research & Development Center, Pemberton's Competition teams overhauled the inspection and rules process and procedures for all vehicles racing in the national series. He oversaw the transitions of NASCAR to Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) and to race fuels with blended Sunoco E15. Among the largest undertakings under his purview was the launch of the acclaimed Generation 6 style car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2013. That style just completed its third season of on-track racing.

"I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish during my time at NASCAR," Pemberton said. "This sport has been my entire professional career and working with all the competitors and the auto manufacturers for the last 12 seasons has been a thrill. I feel good knowing that the work this team has done has had a positive impact on the sport. I look forward to the next challenge." Pemberton will help in the transition to a new competition lead for the balance of the year. NASCAR