LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Motor Speedway president is parting ways with Nevada's largest sports venue after announcing his retirement on Tuesday.
With a career spanning more than 26 years, president and general manager Chris Powell transformed the motor speedway into a space that held one of the most exciting events in the industry.
Powell joined the LVMS in 1998, when he expanded the venue's offerings to the second NASCAR Cup Series weekend, the creation of the Neon Garage, and the construction of The Strip at LVMS and Electric Daisy Carnival.
I’ll be forever indebted to the Smith family for allowing me to oversee one of the great sports venues.
Powell was recognized for his dedication to promoting sports in Southern Nevada in 2013 when he was inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame. 10 years later, Las Vegas Motor Speedway became the first sports venue ever inducted into the same hall. LVMS has also been named Speedway Motorsports Speedway of the Year 10 times in the past 13 years, including most recently in 2024.
During Powell’s tenure, LVMS solidified its place on the national motorsports calendar and played a key role in the local community.
Through numerous charitable initiatives, community outreach programs and the growth of Speedway Children’s Charities, Powell and the LVMS team worked to make a lasting impact in the Las Vegas area, supporting local causes and driving economic growth.
Powell’s retirement becomes effective March 31, two weeks after the March 14-16 Pennzoil 400 NASCAR race weekend. Looking ahead, Powell sees more family time in his future.
In the coming weeks, Speedway Motorsports will announce plans for Powell’s successor.
