North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame
8 April 2000
North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame Celebrates William H. G. France MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 4, 2000) -- William H. G. France (Bill France Sr.) is widely recognized as the man responsible for the success of American motor sports. France will be honored for his accomplishments at the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame's 2000 induction ceremony, Thursday, May 25, 2000, at the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center. "My father truly was an American pioneer, a visionary, and a magnetic icon to motor sports worldwide," said Bill France Jr., president of NASCAR. "If you are a race fan, the name Bill France Sr. makes you feel good inside, and that's a testament to the way he lived his life and cared for this sport." France moved his family from Washington, D.C., to Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1935 and soon after became a mechanic at an auto dealership and raced a 1937 Ford coupe on the weekends. Eventually, he managed his own gas station, which became a 'hangout' for local racers. The hard-packed Daytona Beach sand was an ideal place for those racers to see how fast their cars could go. France was a racer, team owner and a sponsor. He was also something more -- a visionary. He noticed how racing was embraced by the Southeast; several tracks were located throughout the region, each with different rules and facilities. More than anything, his goal was to establish a racing organization that would crown a single national champion through a clearly defined points system. France founded NASCAR and declared its first National Champion, Red Byron in 1948. France managed the promotion and competition and gave structure to the rules of the sport. The inaugural season began with 52 races in modified cars. France later launched the Strictly Stock class on June 19, 1949, which ultimately became the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Thirty-three cars entered the 200-lap, 150-mile race at a three-quarter mile dirt speedway in Charlotte and more than 13,000 spectators attended the race. France was only getting started. In 1959, he founded the International Speedway Corporation (ISC), which helped him build a 2.5-mile, high-banked tri-oval track, Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, -- that became host of The Great American Race. Later that year, Lee Petty won the first Daytona 500 in front of more than 14,000 fans. France retired in January of 1972 after 25 years of building and organizing his vision --handing control over to the next generation. He passed the organization down to his two sons and their families. Bill Jr. became president of NASCAR and Jim became executive vice president and secretary, as well as president of ISC. Bill Jr.'s wife, Betty Jane France, is the assistant secretary and international community relations director of NASCAR. Bill Jr. and Betty Jane's son, Brian France, is the senior vice president of NASCAR and daughter, Lesa France Kennedy, is the executive vice president of ISC, and both serve on the ISC board. In total, the France family has spent more than 51 years making NASCAR the fastest growing sport in the country. Bill France Sr., remained active in NASCAR until his death in 1992. A nonprofit museum, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame is dedicated to all types of racing -- from drag racing to NASCAR. It houses more than 35 cars as well as numerous displays and showcases. Past inductees into the museum's Hall of Fame include Tim Flock (1999), Bobby Allison (1998), and Richard Petty (1997). For more information about the museum, log on to its web site at www.ncarhof.com.