For the past 14 years, Jill Gregory played a pivotal role with NASCAR, most recently serving as the sanctioning body’s executive vice president and chief marketing and content officer.
As the head of the sport’s marketing department, including official sponsorships, brand and consumer marketing and driver and team marketing, Gregory’s efforts earned her a new opportunity in the early days of the new year.
On Jan. 5, Gregory was named executive vice president and general manager of Sonoma Raceway, the picturesque northern California road course owned by Speedway Motorsports. When she starts her new job in February, it will be quite a homecoming for the California native who has long admired the vision of Bruton Smith, Speedway Motorsports’ founder.
“I look forward to taking that same aggressive approach to further establish Sonoma Raceway as not only a premier destination for NASCAR events, but elevating the historic road course as a year-round tourism and driving-experience attraction,” Gregory said. “I’m grateful to have worked with such a talented team of people at NASCAR. I look forward to continuing those professional relationships from a new trackside perspective on the West Coast.”
Named to Adweek’s 2019 “Most Powerful Women in Sports,” Gregory’s contributions in recent years helped steer NASCAR toward younger, more diverse audiences. Notably, Gregory worked with the sport’s digital platforms, including NASCAR.com, and she helped with the refresh of NASCAR’s logo in December 2016.
In an interview with brandchannel, Gregory, who majored in journalism at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif., reflected on the teamwork and experiences with NASCAR’s much anticipated return to racing during the COVID-19 pandemic last spring.
“I’m really proud of the work we’ve done to bring live sports back to sports fans,” Gregory said. “My advice would center on the approach we took, which was to lead and go forward boldly and decisively versus waiting to follow others.”
Rising from humble beginnings in Washington, D.C., 49-year-old Erik Moses’ solid work ethic and vision have rewarded him with a historical opportunity in NASCAR.
In August, Moses was named president of the resurrected Nashville Superspeedway, becoming the first African American to lead a major NASCAR venue.
Moses, in a way, represents the much-anticipated revival and spark of NASCAR’s new energy that intertwines with its classic charm. While Nashville Superspeedway last hosted a NASCAR race in 2011, the Cup Series has not competed in “The Music City” since 1984.
Moses’ journey in the sporting world includes time as the CEO of the D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission where he was the chief advocate for sports, entertainment and live event activity in the nation’s capital.
Recently, Moses was the founding president of the XFL’s DC Defenders, a team that led its division and ranked among the league’s best in ticket sales, game-day experience and engagement on social media. Moses’ expertise in cultivating awareness and growth with fans will be welcomed at Nashville Superspeedway.
“I am excited to join the team at Dover Motorsports to lead the reopening of the Nashville Superspeedway and bring the excitement of Cup Series racing to middle Tennessee,” Moses said.
Despite the incredible obstacles facing him prior to the Cup Series race on June 20, Moses is excited for his latest opportunity.
“We’re working to get the facility up to snuff for a Cup race,” Moses said in an interview with the Greensboro News & Record. “You can imagine my brain is popping with ideas. You’re telling me I’m in Music City, USA, and I have 1,000 acres? And we’re in the middle of a pandemic where people need to be socially distant? Well, let me at it.”