NASCAR (DAYTONA) - Brooks To Lead NASCAR's Charlotte, N.C. Office

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today that effective immediately, Paul Brooks, senior vice president for NASCAR, will take over day-to-day responsibilities for NASCAR’s Charlotte, N.C. offices and will lead efforts for the creation of the NASCAR Media Group. All broadcasting, new media, licensing and consumer products, automotive aftermarket, and publishing departments will report to Brooks.

Brooks, who continues to serve as president of NASCAR Broadcasting and NASCAR Digital Entertainment, will supervise the creation of the NASCAR Media Group, a merger of NASCAR Images, NASCAR Digital Entertainment and other affiliated content groups. Brooks will serve as president of the new NASCAR Media Group and NASCAR Broadcasting and will continue to report to NASCAR President Mike Helton and NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.

“The development of the NASCAR Media Group, NASCAR Plaza and NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., combined with our ongoing commitment to best serve the licensing initiatives of our entire industry, creates a unique opportunity in our sport’s future,” France said. “I have great confidence in Paul Brooks and his ability to lead these initiatives into the future. Paul’s contributions to NASCAR and this sport over the past 14 years are significant, as are his relationships throughout our entire industry.”

NASCAR Media Group will be a rights management, content production, distribution and entertainment company designed to grow exposure, media and content opportunities for the entire sport, while also helping to best serve the public relations and media industry that covers NASCAR worldwide.

Brooks’ current responsibilities in the areas of public relations, public affairs and diversity will shift to Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps.

Previously, as vice president of broadcasting for NASCAR and vice president of NASCAR Digital Entertainment, Brooks established NASCAR’s Los Angeles office in 2000 while overseeing all broadcasting, entertainment and new media ventures. Under his management, the Los Angeles office quickly established close working relationships throughout the television and entertainment industry and became a focal point for NASCAR’s marketing, licensing, sales and communications functions on the West Coast.

His experience in the sport began in 1989 where he held positions working with NASCAR drivers, teams and media outlets. After joining NASCAR in 1993, he held several key positions at NASCAR including Vice President, Office of the President, reporting directly to Bill France Jr., then Chairman and CEO of NASCAR. In this capacity, he was responsible for leading long-term and operational planning for NASCAR, directing special projects and publishing, developing and launching NASCAR Online, and leading international business initiatives, including NASCAR exhibition events in Japan.

Brooks was a key part of the initial team that developed NASCAR’s long-term consolidated television and new media agreements as well as the most recent media partnerships with FOX, SPEED, TNT, ESPN and ABC. In 2001 Brooks led NASCAR’s efforts to become the first professional sports league to launch a 24-hour satellite radio channel with NASCAR Radio on XM Satellite and most recently led NASCAR’s efforts to bring NASCAR Radio to SIRIUS Satellite Radio starting in 2007. Brooks was a key member of the negotiating team that brought Sprint Nextel into the sport as title sponsor to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.

Brooks has been named a Sports Business Journal “Forty Under 40” recipient for three years, entering the Sports Business Journal “Forty Under 40 Hall of Fame” in 2005. Brooks and his wife, Kelly, have a daughter, Olivia, and a son, Kasey, the family will relocate from central Florida to Charlotte, N.C.

NASCAR is the fastest growing sport in North America and second highest-rated regular season sport on television, is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., where it was founded in 1948. In recent years, as part of its unprecedented growth, NASCAR has expanded its reach around the country by opening offices in Charlotte, N.C., New York City, Mexico City, Toronto and Bentonville, Arkansas. With the establishment of its West Coast office, NASCAR became the first sports league to open a full-time, executive level office in Los Angeles.