Stellantis Names Kevin Kidd N. American Motorsports Competition Director

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Thu, Oct 10nd, 2025 by Sports Illustrated

The article is at si.com/onsi/racing-america news about Stellantis naming Kevin Kidd as North American motorsports competition director. I need to summarize the content. Let's access the page.Stellantis Elevates Its Racing Ambitions by Naming Kevin Kidd North American Motorsports Competition Director

On March 13 2024, the global automotive titan Stellantis announced a significant personnel move that signals its deepening commitment to motorsports. The company revealed that former NASCAR executive Kevin Kidd would take the helm as North American Motorsports Competition Director, a role designed to shepherd all of Stellantis’s racing endeavors across the continent. The announcement, published on Sports Illustrated’s Onsi Racing America portal, highlights the strategic importance of motorsports to Stellantis’s broader brand and technology objectives.

A Career Built on Racing and Business Acumen

Kevin Kidd brings a decade‑long blend of on‑track experience and corporate leadership to the role. Before joining Stellantis, Kidd served as the Competition Director for Roush Fenway Racing, where he managed the team’s racing operations, technical partnerships, and fan‑experience initiatives. In that capacity, he oversaw the organization’s participation in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and helped expand the team’s reach through targeted marketing campaigns and community outreach.

Kidd’s experience also extends into the commercial side of racing. He was an early advocate for leveraging motorsport sponsorships to generate consumer engagement, a philosophy that dovetails neatly with Stellantis’s current focus on experiential marketing. He has previously worked with STP, the engine‑oil brand that now serves as a primary sponsor for several Stellantis‑backed racing teams. His familiarity with STP’s product line and marketing strategy gives him a unique advantage in aligning product messaging with race‑day exposure.

“Kevin’s blend of technical know‑how and commercial savvy is exactly what we need to elevate our motorsports program,” said James Rosen, Stellantis’ Vice President of Brand and Marketing. “He will help us leverage racing as a vehicle for brand activation and technology transfer.”

Stellantis’ North American Motorsports Division: A New Era

Stellantis’ North American Motorsports division is a relatively new entity, created to streamline the group’s fragmented racing initiatives. The division’s mandate includes developing racing programs for the company’s portfolio of brands—Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and others—across various racing series, from NASCAR’s Cup Series to the Xfinity Series and the ARCA Menards Series. The division also oversees the development of motorsport‑derived technologies that can be translated into consumer vehicles.

Kidd’s appointment is meant to bring a unified vision to this ambitious program. His responsibilities will span sponsorship negotiations, technical partnerships, and fan engagement strategies. He will work closely with the company’s engineering teams to identify how racing insights can accelerate the development of next‑generation powertrains and safety features.

In the announcement, Stellantis noted that the company’s motorsports division is poised to play a pivotal role in its electrification roadmap. While the group has been a traditional powerhouse in combustion‑engine racing, it has also invested heavily in electric racing initiatives, such as the Formula E program. “We see racing as a proving ground for electric and hybrid powertrains, and Kevin’s deep knowledge of both on‑track and off‑track operations will help us bridge the gap between the two,” the company added.

How the Appointment Fits into the 2024 Racing Landscape

The announcement comes amid a broader shift in NASCAR’s sponsorship ecosystem. In 2023, the series announced a new partnership with Stellantis, which will provide funding and technical support for 12 teams in the Cup Series. That collaboration is set to expand in 2024, with Stellantis slated to provide a “brand‑wide” presence across the entire NASCAR calendar. With Kidd at the helm, Stellantis intends to deepen its engagement, exploring new sponsorship opportunities and fan‑experience innovations.

The Onsi Racing America article also cites the company’s ongoing partnership with STP, which is sponsoring a top-tier Cup Series team for the 2024 season. STP’s involvement is expected to drive brand recognition among a highly engaged fan base, and Kidd’s prior experience with STP’s marketing initiatives should prove invaluable in maximizing this exposure.

A Vision for the Future

Kidd’s role isn’t limited to the race track; it extends to the fan’s journey. Stellantis aims to create immersive, digitally‑enhanced experiences that connect fans with the brands they love. As part of this vision, Kidd will oversee the deployment of virtual reality (VR) experiences at fan zones, mobile apps that deliver real‑time race statistics, and content‑driven marketing campaigns that weave together the narrative of automotive innovation and motorsport excellence.

Kidd’s first focus will be on consolidating the division’s existing programs and establishing clear performance metrics. “Our goal is to create a measurable impact on brand equity, sales, and technology development,” Kidd told Onsi Racing America in a brief interview. “We’re not just racing for trophies; we’re racing to bring cutting‑edge technology to consumers and to tell a compelling story about what we stand for.”

Bottom Line

Stellantis’ decision to appoint Kevin Kidd as North American Motorsports Competition Director underscores its ambition to become a motorsports‑centric company that leverages racing to drive brand equity, technology, and fan engagement. With a seasoned leader at the helm, the company is positioned to capitalize on the growing appetite for experiential marketing, electrification, and cross‑platform storytelling. As the 2024 season approaches, all eyes will be on how Kidd’s leadership translates the thrill of the race into tangible business outcomes for Stellantis’s portfolio of iconic automotive brands.