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NASCAR announces leadership promotions

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 - Practice

BROOKLYN, MI - JUNE 10: Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR Senior Vice President, Innovation and Racing Development and Scott Miller, NASCAR Senior VP of Competition address the media during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 10, 2016 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Kena Krutsinger/Getty Images )

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NASCAR announced promotions Thursday for some of its officials.

Gene Stefanyshyn will lead NASCAR’s international efforts as Senior Vice President and Chief International Officer. John Probst has been promoted to Vice President, Innovation and Racing Development, a position formerly held by Stefanyshyn.

Also, John Bobo has been promoted to Vice President, Racing Operations. Scott Prime has been promoted to Vice President, Strategic Development.

Stefanyshyn takes over the role Jim Cassidy held for three months before leaving the organization. Cassidy had been promoted from his position of Vice President, Racing Operations, a position now filled by Bobo.

Stefanyshyn joined NASCAR in May 2013 and helped shaped NASCAR’s approach to competition. He will continue to report to Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer

“Gene’s experience leading our strategic work and industry collaboration on innovating and improving our competition product, along with his prior international working experience, make him an ideal fit for the next phase of our international efforts,” O’Donnell said in a statement. “We are excited about the future direction of our international racing portfolio and are looking forward to Gene’s leadership across this growing platform.”

Probst, who joined NASCAR in 2016 after two decades of industry experience, will be responsible for leading the sport’s efforts toward enhancing competition and integrating innovation and technology across the sport’s at-track operations. He will report to O’Donnell.

“John was instrumental in the development of our new inspection process, incorporating best in class technology and technology partners into one of our most important competition operations,” O’Donnell said in a statement. “Integrating new, relevant technology into our operations and innovating our racing product are strategic priorities for us and John is well suited to continue the important leadership of this area.”

Probst recently joined NBC Sports’ Nate Ryan on the NASCAR on NBC Podcast. Listen to Probst on the podcast via the embed below or on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or Google Play.

Bobo, who joined NASCAR in 2010, will oversee racing operations across all national, touring and weekly series, manage the American Medical Response relationship and manage the sport’s drug testing program. He previously served as a state prosecutor, chief drug and alcohol policy advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and later head of U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration. He will report to O’Donnell.

“John brings leadership experience to our operations at the racetrack,” O’Donnell said. “His ability to develop smart, working solutions to difficult problems has set John apart – he’s a true professional that brings a steady hand in leading our racing operations.”

Prime, who joined NASCAR in 2015, will oversee key strategic initiatives and development of key new business platforms for the sport, as well as managing the council framework across NASCAR’s main stakeholders. Prime will report to Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer.

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