NASCAR announces new roles for Helton and Dewar

NASCAR, and NASCAR's Chief Operating Officer, Brent Dewar, has been named to the NASCAR Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Mike Helton, NASCAR's president since 2000, has served the company in various roles since 1994 and will remain a member of the board of directors. In his new role, Helton will continue to be the senior official at all national series events, overseeing competition. He will also work closely with France on long-term strategic planning and represent NASCAR in a wide range of rules to grow the sport.

"Mike Helton's steady hand and decades of experience in every facet of our business have made him a close, trusted advisor to me and my family and his overall impact on NASCAR cannot be overstated," France said in a news release. "With a strong team ready to take on more day-to-day management responsibilities, I'm pleased to now have Mike in a role that will allow us to utilize his unique skills in advancing key priorities for the future of the industry."

Dewar, who joined NASCAR in December of 2013 as NASCAR's Chief Operating Officer, will assume additional day-to-day operational responsibilities in racing development and innovation and work with NASCAR partners and stakeholders. Dewar's long career in the automotive industry and as a consultant to global companies should serve him well in his new role.

"Adding someone as talented and experienced as Brent Dewar to our board will be highly beneficial to our company and the industry overall. Brent's operational expertise already has made a big impact and his understanding of how our sport works from multiple perspectives will bring immediate value to how we operate and future initiatives," France said.

These latest moves are part of a long-term strategic plan spearheaded by France to strengthen his senior leadership team and broaden responsibility for key areas of the business.

In December 2013, NASCAR elevated Steve Phelps to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer and Steve O'Donnell to Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, giving both more direct oversight of key business areas. Both also moved from the company's Daytona Beach headquarters to the Charlotte region to oversee operations at NASCAR Plaza in uptown Charlotte and the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, respectively, as well as strengthen alignment and communication with key industry stakeholders based in the Carolinas.

NASCAR.com