Folks, when Ben Kennedy first entered the NASCAR scene, many pegged him as simply the next in line from the France family dynasty. Over the years, however, Kennedy has carved out a reputation uniquely his own; first as a Truck and Xfinity Series driver and now as a forward-thinking executive. Rising quickly through NASCAR’s leadership ranks, Kennedy became the driving force behind some of the sport’s boldest innovations,

His latest contribution? The introduction of the Chicago street race and the expansion into international markets. His vision has helped NASCAR adapt to a changing sports landscape, blending tradition with a willingness to experiment. As the sport faces its next era, Kennedy’s approach is sparking conversations about legacy, innovation, and what it means to truly honor NASCAR’s roots while steering it into the future.

How Ben Kennedy is reviving NASCAR with a modern twist

Ben Kennedy’s influence on NASCAR’s direction is unmistakable, especially as he continues to reshape the Cup Series schedule. As the PRN host noted, “We talked about Ben Kennedy earlier and his thoughts on keeping the schedule each year.” Kennedy, now Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer, has become NASCAR’s “point man” for scheduling. Notably, he is leading efforts to rotate the Cup Series Championship race each year beyond Phoenix and Homestead, to add to the excitement.

“He’s been doing some stuff that Bill France Jr. was kind of interested in doing back in the day, as far as international racing goes and street course racing,” the host further added. Under Kennedy’s leadership, NASCAR has expanded into new markets. This includes the debut of the Chicago street race in 2023 and the return to Mexico City in 2025. Plans are also advancing for a San Diego street race in 2026, signaling a bold push into urban and international racing. Now, these initiatives echo Bill France Jr.’s ambitions for the sport decades ago.

In context, the host highlighted, “A lot of people don’t realize it when the LR series was kind of being formed, that LR car back in the 80s, the whole reason was because Sonoma wasn’t on the schedule yet and they were trying to find an extra road course event and they were thinking about doing street racing in the cup series, so it didn’t come to fruition back then.” The LR (Leisure Racing) concept from the 1980s aimed to bring more road and street racing to NASCAR. However, it never advanced beyond the planning stages due to logistical and financial challenges.

Finally, the host summarized their thoughts, “It’s cool to see Ben Kennedy’s kind of bringing on some of the France family legacy that they were trying to build back in the day. He’s kind of bringing it all back. Pulling it off, it’s cool to see.” By executing on the vision that Bill France Jr. once championed, Kennedy is not only honoring his family’s legacy but also ensuring NASCAR’s continued growth and evolution in a rapidly changing sports landscape.

Road course revolution sparks debate among NASCAR veterans

While Ben Kennedy’s vision has brought NASCAR into new markets and onto new types of tracks, not everyone in the garage is fully on board with the road course revolution. As the Cup Series schedule has evolved, some of the sport’s most respected veterans are voicing concerns about the direction.

Brad Keselowski, 2012 Cup champion, recently took to social media to share his thoughts: “We went from 2 to 6 road course races, possibly 7 next year. NASCAR was successfully built as a primarily oval racing series. IMSA was built as the primary road course series in North America. IMSA will always do road racing better than NASCAR, and that’s ok … Yes, TOO many road courses in NASCAR.”

Denny Hamlin, three-time Daytona 500 winner, echoed this sentiment on his podcast, Actions Detrimental: “I’m not a road course fan. I still believe we have too many of them on the schedule … Six is a lot, considering that we are NASCAR. We’re short track racing, oval racing, full contact type racing.” However, Hamlin did express support for the Chicago Street Course, calling it a “must-keep” event, but admitted he could “take it or leave” the rest.

This debate isn’t limited to current drivers. NASCAR legend Richard Petty has also criticized the impact of road course wins on playoff eligibility. His criticism came especially after Shane van Gisbergen’s Mexico City victory. “You’re making a championship situation by winning a road course, which is not NASCAR to begin with.”

But the frustration might not just be philosophical. It could be performance-driven too. In 2025, most Cup Series veterans have struggled on road courses. Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Brad Keselowski are all outside the top 10 in average finish. Meanwhile, road-savvy drivers like Shane van Gisbergen and Ty Gibbs are thriving. It shows that NASCAR’s next chapter may not be written on ovals alone. As NASCAR continues to balance tradition with innovation, the conversation around road courses is far from over. The next chapter will be shaped by how fans, teams, and executives respond to this changing landscape.