Bill France, Jr.

William Clifton France ( April 4, 1933, Washington, DC; † June 4, 2007 in Daytona Beach ), known as " Bill Jr. " and "Little Bill" called, was the longtime chairman and president of NASCAR, the most important U.S. touring car racing series.

Life

France was in Washington, D.C. Born as the son of Anne Bledsoe and William Henry Getty France. In 1935 he moved as a result of the global economic crisis with his family to Daytona Beach in Florida. There he went to Seabreeze High School before attending the University of Florida. He served two years in the U.S. Navy, before he began a career as a racing driver.

France grew with the helping out on race tracks. He sold tickets and helped with parking the car at the Daytona Beach Road Course. He worked for 13 months twelve hours a day and seven days a week during the construction of Daytona International Speedway, where he operated a so-called Compactor, a bulldozer and a Planierwalze. Once he tried to pull a mule trees from the bottom, because the motorized equipment got stuck in the swamp.

He rode motocross race and began to Enduro racing in the 1960s to participate. France launched the Baja 1000 in the motorcycle class in the early 1970s. In addition, he was trying at motocross race in Daytona. Although the race started with little audience interest, they developed the popular Daytona Supercross, which had considerable influence on the Daytona Beach Bike Week.

Chairman of NASCAR

After he spent six years as vice president of NASCAR, Bill France Jr. 1972 President of NASCAR, his father Bill France Senior was resigned on January 10. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame writes to the change of leadership: " Other than the founding of NASCAR Itself, Bill Jr. ' s appointment to leadership is probably the most significant event in the history of the sanctioning body. " ( " Apart from the actual founding of NASCAR Bill is taking over the chair perhaps the most important event in the history of the association. " ) NASCAR transformed under his leadership from a regional sport in the South to a national sport of the United States.

He continued his father's legacy and promoted the growth of the Daytona 500 race in touring car and the Daytona 200 motorcycles at Daytona International Speedway. During his leadership, the Winston Million By RJ Reynolds introduced in 1984. In this case a prize of one million dollars was paid to the driver, who won three conditions laid down by the previous four races.

In 1973 the Grand National Series was renamed Winston Cup, today's Sprint Cup. The prize money for championship points increased from $ 750,000 to 2 million U.S. dollars. By 1998, the share of the Master rose to 2 million U.S. dollars.

Television contracts

NASCAR had a few races that were broadcast on television in 1972. And the races that were broadcast were integrated into other programs. France therefore entered into an agreement with Neal Pilson, president of CBS Sports, the Daytona 500 to be transferred in 1979 from the start to the finish flag. This race was the first live broadcast of a NASCAR race from start to finish. It reached high ratings, partly due to a snowstorm in the Midwest and Northeast of the United States. Richard Petty won the race after the leader Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough crashed on the last lap and then attacked with fists. The high viewing figures and the ongoing press coverage helped France while, in 1980 contracts with ESPN to conclude in 1990 with TNN and TBS. The highlight of his career he reached with a contract for 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in 1999 for the 2001 NASCAR season.

Retirement

In 2000, France handed over the presidency of NASCAR Mike Helton, after cancer had been diagnosed with. His son Brian France he made in 2003 as CEO and Chairman of NASCAR. He remained until his death in comprehensive six NASCAR Board.

The France family controls NASCAR continue in full and have a say in law in the International Speedway Corporation, which owns several racetracks in the United States. His TochterLesa France Kennedy is the President.

Death

France since 1999, had been suffering from cancer. Although he was on the mend, he never recovered completely from the illness and often had difficulty breathing. Therefore, he was in 2007 twice for inpatient treatment at the hospital. France died on 4 June 2007 at the age of 74 years from the effects of his illness. His death occurred during the shifted due to heavy rain Autism Speaks 400 race at Dover International Speedway and was announced during the live coverage. In his honor, held the reporter from FOX during a restart of the race a minute's silence and from the flags at the race track were lowered to half-mast.

Halls of Fame

• International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Oceanside Rotary Club of Daytona Beach Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame in 2001.
• Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2004.
• Automotive Hall of Fame in 2006.