Revision 4417458 of "Bill France, Jr." on simplewiki

{{Infobox person
|name        = Bill France Jr.
|image       =
|image_size  = 150px
|birth_date  = April 4, 1933
|birth_place = [[Washington D.C.]]
|death_date  = June 4, 2007 (aged 74)
|death_place = [[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach]], [[Florida]] 
|nationality = [[United States]]
|alma_mater  = [[University of Florida]]
|known_for   = Served as Head of [[NASCAR]] from 1972 to 2000
|parents     = [[Bill France, Sr.]], Anne Bledsoe
|spouse      =Betty Jane 
|children  = [[Brian France|Brian]], Lesa
}}
'''William Clifton France''' (April 4, 1933 – June 4, 2007), nicknamed "Bill Jr." and "Little Bill," was an [[Americans|American]] [[auto racing|motorsports]] executive who served from 1972 to 2000 as the head of [[NASCAR]], the sanctioning body of [[United States]]-based [[stock car racing]].  He succeeded the founder of NASCAR, his father [[Bill France, Sr.]], as its head.  His son [[Brian France]] has been NASCAR CEO since 2003.

==Early life==
France was born in [[Washington, D.C.]] to Anne Bledsoe and [[Bill France, Sr.|William Henry Getty France]]. His family moved to [[Daytona Beach, Florida]] in 1935 to escape the [[Great Depression]].<ref name=FanGuide>Bill Fleischman and Al Pearce. ''The Unauthorized NASCAR fan guide 1998-1999'', Visible Ink Press, Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA. ISBN 1-57859-111-2</ref> He attended [[Seabreeze High School]] before attending the [[University of Florida]]. He served for two years in the [[United States Navy]] before turning to a career in racing.<ref name=Oceanside>[http://www.stockcarhalloffame.oceansiderotary.org/B_FranceJr.htm Biography] at the Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame of Oceanside Rotary Club</ref>

France grew up helping at race tracks; he sold concessions and helped park cars at the [[Daytona Beach Road Course]]. He worked twelve hours per day, seven days a week for thirteen months with the construction of [[Daytona International Speedway]], where he drove a [[compactor]], [[bulldozer]], and [[grader]]. He once tried using a mule to pull trees out of the swamp because motorized equipment was getting stuck.<ref name=motorcycle>[http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=175 Biography at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame]</ref>

He rode [[off-roading|off road]] motorcycles, and began competing in [[enduro]]s in the 1960s. France entered the [[Baja 1000]] in the motorcycle division in the early 1970s. He gave the up-and-coming sport of [[motocross]] a chance at Daytona in the early 1970s. The motocross races started with little fanfare, but grew into the popular Daytona [[Supercross]]. The supercross inspired the [[Daytona Beach Bike Week]].<ref name=motorcycle />

==Head of NASCAR==
After serving as vice-president for six years, he became the head of NASCAR when his father Bill France, Sr. retired on January 10, 1972.<ref name=Oceanside /> The [[International Motorsports Hall of Fame]] describes the transition: "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." <ref name=IMHOF>[http://www.motorsportshalloffame.com/halloffame/2004/Bill_France_Jr_main.htm Biography at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame]</ref> NASCAR went from a [[Southern United States|Southern]] regional sport to a national sport during his tenure.<ref name=IMHOF />

He continued his father's legacy by fostering growth of the [[Daytona 500]] stock car race and [[Daytona 200]] motorcycle race at Daytona International Speedway. The [[Winston Million]] program was launched by [[R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company|R.J. Reynolds]] in 1985. A [[United States dollar|$]]1 million bonus was awarded to any driver who could win three of four preselected races.

NASCAR's Grand National series was renamed [[NEXTEL Cup|Winston Cup]] (now Sprint Cup) in 1973. The points fund increased from $750,000 to $2 million. The champions portion of the points fund rose to $2 million by 1998.<ref>[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCH/is_3_29/ai_78680465/pg_3 Biography at findarticles.com]</ref>

NASCAR.com was launched in 1996.

===Television contracts===
NASCAR had few televised races in 1972. Those races that did air in the 1970s were mixed into shows like ''[[ABC Wide World of Sports]]''.<ref name=motorsportsHOF>[http://www.mshf.com/index.htm?/hof/france_bill_jr.htm Biography at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]</ref> France signed a deal with [[CBS Sports]]' president Neal Pilson to televise the [[1979 Daytona 500]] from flag to flag. The race was the first live flag to flag national coverage of a NASCAR race. The race got high television ratings, partly due to a snowstorm in the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]] and [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]]. [[Richard Petty]] won the race after race leaders [[Donnie Allison]] and [[Cale Yarborough]] crashed together on the final lap. Allison's brother [[Bobby Allison]] stopped, and Bobby Allison and Yarborough then exchanged punches. The ratings and ensuing press coverage helped France to sign television contracts with [[ESPN]] in 1980, [[TNN Motor Sports/TNN Sports|TNN]] in 1990, and [[TBS (TV network)|TBS]]. France's career culminated in a record-setting $2.4 billion television broadcasting contract in 1999 for the 2001 season.<ref name=IMHOF />

==Political Activity==
France was a delegate from [[Florida]] to the [[1972 Democratic National Convention]] and supported the candidacy of [[George Wallace]], who had won the Florida Democratic [[United States presidential primary|presidential preference primary]] that year.

==Retirement==
France turned the presidency of NASCAR over to [[Mike Helton]] in 2000 after being diagnosed with [[cancer]]. He made his son [[Brian France]] the [[CEO]] and [[chairman]] of NASCAR in 2003. Bill France, Jr. remained a member of the six person NASCAR board of directors.

The France family continues to own NASCAR outright, and has a controlling interest in race track operator [[International Speedway Corporation]].  France Jr. continued as chairman of the board of ISC, until his death. His daughter [[Lesa France Kennedy]] is ISC's president.<ref name=ESPNdeath>[http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=2&id=2892826&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines ESPN, "Longtime NASCAR chairman France Jr. dies" June 4, 2007]</ref>

==Death==
France had been suffering from [[lung cancer]] since being diagnosed with the disease in 1999. Although he had been in remission, he never fully recovered from the disease and often had difficulty breathing. The disease required him to be hospitalized twice during 2007 and he died of said cancer in Daytona Beach, Florida, on June 4, 2007 at about 1:00 pm.  His death occurred during the rain-delayed [[Autism Speaks 400]] NEXTEL Cup race, and his death was reported during the live broadcast of the race at lap 261. [[Mike Joy]] held a moment of "silence" during a restart around lap 270, and the track's flag was lowered to half staff. His widow, Betty Jane, continues to live in Florida.

==Halls of Fame inductions==
*[[Oceanside Rotary Club of Daytona Beach Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame]] in 2001.<ref name=Oceanside />
*[[International Motorsports Hall of Fame]] in 2004.<ref name=IMHOF />
*[[Motorcycle Hall of Fame]] in 2004.<ref name=motorcycle />
*[[Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]] in 2004.<ref name=motorsportsHOF />
*[[Automotive Hall of Fame]] in 2006.<ref>[http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honors/index.php?cmd=view&id=727&type=inductees Automotive Hall of Fame Biography]</ref>
*[[NASCAR Hall of Fame]] in 2010.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*[http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/headlines/cup/06/04/bfrancejr.dies.timeline/index.html?eref=/rss/news/headlines/cup "Timeline: Bill France Jr."] at NASCAR.com, Retrieved June 5, 2007

==External links==
*[http://www.nascar.com NASCAR official website]
*[http://www.iscmotorsports.com International Speedway Corporation official website]
*[http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/8059/ "NASCAR succession history"]
*[http://static.espn.go.com/rpm/wc/2003/0912/1614821.html "NASCAR's top job stays in France family" at espn.com]
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/05/sports/othersports/05francejr.html?_r=1&oref=slogin NY Times obituary]
* {{Find a Grave|19719820}}

{{NASCAR Frances}}
{{NASCAR}}
{{2010 NASCAR HOF}}
{{Florida Sports Hall of Fame}}

{{Persondata
|NAME              = France, Bill, Jr.
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES = France, William, Jr.
|SHORT DESCRIPTION = Former NASCAR president
|DATE OF BIRTH     = April 4, 1933
|PLACE OF BIRTH    = Washington, D.C., United States
|DATE OF DEATH     = June 4, 2007
|PLACE OF DEATH    = Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:France, Bill, Jr.}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:American motorsport people]]
[[Category:Auto racing executives]]
[[Category:Burials in Florida]]
[[Category:Cancer deaths in Florida]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer]]
[[Category:Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:NASCAR people]]
[[Category:People from Daytona Beach, Florida]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:University of Florida alumni]]
[[Category:Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductees]]
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