NPR: Bill France Jr. Turned NASCAR into a Juggernaut

Bill France Jr. Turned NASCAR into a Juggernaut

You probably don't know his name, or even what he did. But Bill France Jr., who died Monday, was without a doubt one of the most powerful men in American sports. NBC's sports czar Dick Ebersol called him a "true giant."

France was the chairman of NASCAR from 1972 to 2003. He turned a rural, almost entirely Southern pastime into America's second-most-watched sport. Only football draws more TV viewers. France also helped NASCAR find national sponsors and new venues beyond its original base.

France ruled NASCAR as a benevolent dictator, not backing down when his decisions were challenged, as a driver noted in a USA Today story.

"His personality came at a time when it was what our sport needed," veteran driver Jeff Burton said. "He ain't a waffler or a guy who does anything half(way). Part of leadership is having the guts to make a decision and then having the guts to stand by it. That's what he did on a lot of occasions."

NASCAR is a family business for the Frances. France's father, William Henry Getty France, founded NASCAR in 1948 and ran it until his son took over in 1972. After Bill France Jr. resigned in 2003, his son, Brian, took over as NASCAR chairman.

1:44 PM ET | 06- 5-2007 | permalink

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