by TC

Created on: May 25, 2007   Last Updated: November 24, 2008

William Henry Getty France St was born September 2, 1909 in Washington D.C., to parents William and Emma France, is best known as one of the co-founders of NASCAR, the National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing.

In 1935 he moved his family to Daytona Beach, FL to setup a car repair shop and get away from the depression that was plaguing much of the United States. France was also a race fan, and in 1936, ran in the first stock car race on the Daytona Beach Road Course, finishing fifth in a race that suffered large financial losses. By 1938, Bill Sr took over running the Daytona course, holding two races, which increased to three races in 1939 and four races in 1940. During WWII, racing was suspended, but it resumed in 1946.

While races were being run, drivers were often the victims of promoters who would leave the track with the money before the race completed. As a result, France got a group of promoters together at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, that resulted in the creation of NASCAR in 1948, which became the sanctioning body for stock car racing.

The first NASCAR race was held in Charlotte, NC in 1949, and NASCAR was born as a result of the efforts of Bill France, SR. While this is his single biggest accomplishment, France also saw the need for tracks that could hold large crowds for races and that were in a permanent location. In 1959, under the name Daytona International Speedway Corporation, France opened the Daytona International Speedway, with the running of the Daytona 500, which is still the "superbowl" of NASCAR and in 1969 he opened the Talladega Superspeedway. In 1968, France changed the company name to International Speedway Corporation (ISC), which it is still known as today.

In 1970, France launched MRN Radio to broadcast races across the United States. In the following decades, ISC purchased or built several more tracks, including Martinsville, Darlington, Chicagoland, and Kansas, and now owns 11 of the NASCAR tracks. France Sr was also responsible for building the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and was inducted in 1990 as part of the first class of inductees.

Bill France Sr acted as the president and CEO of NASCAR until 1972, when he handed the reins over to his son, Bill France Jr. NASCAR continues to be run by the France family, as Bill Jr was replaced by his son Brian France in 2003 upon his retirement, and four of the five seats on the NASCAR board are held by the family, leaving an enduring legacy for Bill France Sr, who passed away in 1992.

Learn more about this author, TC.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.