NASCAR hires its first Director of Artificial Intelligence

Richard Bowman has been named NASCAR's first director of Artificial Intelligence. 

"Excited to share that I’m now Director, AI at NASCAR," Bowman said in a Linkedin post. "Even in my relatively short time here, it has been clear that this is an organization willing to engage seriously with both the opportunities and responsibilities that come with AI. I’m grateful for the chance to help lead that work.

"Before this chapter, much of my career was rooted in educational technology. That experience shaped how I think about innovation: technology creates value only when people can actually use it well, trust it, and see how it helps them in the flow of real work. That is a big part of what makes this moment in AI so interesting. The promise is real, but so is the need for clarity, governance, and thoughtful adoption.

"I’m so thankful for everyone who supported me, and looking forward to continuing the work."

He has been work with NASCAR since January, but was named the sport's first ever Director of AI this week.

AI continues to become more commonplace in every area of life, including the motorsports world. Several NASCAR teams are already integrating AI tools, which Trackhouse Racing Director of Technology Phil Surgen spoke about ahead of the 2026 season.