nascar founders & eXecutiVes wiLLiaM H.G. france


nascar founder Tey called him “Big Bill,” and


only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature. William Henry Getty France was


larger than life it seemed, during the years of founding, then building, a sport. In the years since his 1992 death, his legend has grown, along with that sport. France spearheaded NASCAR


from its beginning and directed it to its present role as the world’s largest stock car racing organization. Born in Washington, D.C., on


September 26, 1909, he came to Day- tona Beach, Florida in the 1930s. In 1936 he helped lay out the first beach / road course in Daytona Beach; in the first race on the course he finished fifth. Starting in 1938, he helped promote races on the sands. Tat en- deavor was interrupted by World War II but resumed in 1946. In 1947 France became the driving force behind the establishment of the


National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR, it was called, resulting from a famous meeting at the Streamline Hotel on A1A in Day- tona Beach – a structure that stands to this day, as a racing landmark. Tings moved quickly in the 1950s and ’60s for NASCAR. As the sanc-


tioning body’s first president, France built two superspeedways that came to personify the sport – 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and 2.66- mile Talladega (AL) Superspeedway. Along the way he also founded the In- ternational Speedway Corporation that operates those two tracks and others involved in NASCAR’s three national series – NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In January 1972 France stepped down as president of NASCAR and handed the reins to his son William C. France. Te elder France continued to be a consultant for a number of years, in addition to serving as ISC chairman / president. After retirement he was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame and the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. Te honours were the result of vision – and good, old-fashioned hard


work. In the words of noted motorsports journalist Larry Woody, “Big Bill France looked at an untamed diversion called stock car racing and saw a promising future … he founded NASCAR and through sheer iron will hammered it into shape.” “Big Bill” France died in June 1992. He left behind a lasting legacy. He


remains larger than life – still. In May 2010, France was one of the five inaugural inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.


BiLL france Jr. inauGuraL nascar


HaLL of faMe inductee William (Bill) Clifton France is


remembered – and revered – as the man who followed his visionary fa- ther at NASCAR’s helm, in the process becoming a visionary himself, as he guided NASCAR to unprece- dented levels of popularity. He com- bined pragmatism with optimism, an approach that resulted in a calculated – and adventurous – road to success. France, who died in June 2007 at


the age of 74, grew up in the formative years of stock car racing, living and learning every detail of the sport from his own experiences, and those of his father William Henry Getty France – who was known as Bill Sr., or “Big Bill” because of his 6-foot-5 stature. Bill Sr. was the founder and first presi- dent of NASCAR. France became NASCAR’s president in January 1972, replacing his fa- ther and becoming only the second president of the world’s largest auto racing sanctioning body. His emergence coincided with the sport’s emergence, and its eventual as- cent to become America’s ‘number one’ form of motorsports and the na- tion’s second-most popular sport overall. France remained president until November 2000, when Mike Helton


took over the position. At that time, France announced the formation of a NASCAR board of directors on which he served as chairman and CEO until October 2003, when he was replaced by his son, Brian Z. France. From that point, France served as vice chairman until his death. France’s involvement in NASCAR was far-reaching, but it began in the


sport’s “grass roots.” During his career, he did everything a person can, in stock car racing. He


flagged events, scored, promoted, served as a steward and even raced him- self a few times in the 1950s. Before being named NASCAR’s president, France served six years as


vice president and prior to that served in other capacities. In addition to his NASCAR duties, France served as chairman of the board of the Interna- tional Speedway Corporation (ISC) which oversees Daytona International Speedway, Darlington Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway, among other racing facilities around the US. He also served as a director of the National Motorsports Council of ACCUS-FIA. Born in Washington, D.C., France was less than two years old when his


parents moved to Daytona Beach, Florida in 1934. He attended Seabreeze High School, where he played basketball and later attended the University of Florida in Gainesville. He served two years in the United States Navy and turned to a full-time career in racing when his service stint ended. In addition to his son, other members of France’s family have played – and continue to play – major roles in the operation of NASCAR. His wife, the former Betty Jane Zachary, serves as as- sistant secretary for NASCAR, while daughter Lesa France Kennedy serves on the board of both ISC and NASCAR, is a NASCAR vice president and the presi- dent of ISC. Younger brother Jim is vice chairman / executive vice president of NASCAR and is CEO for ISC. In May 2010, France was one of the


Bill France Jr. and ‘Big’ Bill France courtesy of NASCAR Archives


five inaugural inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.


48 nascar canadian tire series


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