Jim France Biography

James Carl France (born October 24, 1944) is an American motorsports executive, at present the vice chairman of the board of directors and executive vice president of NASCAR and the former chief executive officer (CEO) of International Speedway Corporation (ISC).

NASCAR and ISC

The son of NASCAR co-founder William Henry Getty France, Jim France began working for his father at ISC in 1959, aged 14 years, and ultimately acceded to the ISC presidency in 1987. With his brother Bill France, Jr., he inherited control of NASCAR and ISC upon his father's death in 1992, and, a member, and for a time secretary, of the board of directors of NASCAR, he served influentially as an advisor to his brother through the latter's retirement as NASCAR president in 2000 and as NASCAR CEO and chairman of the board in 2004; France, Jr., explained in 2000 that his singular prominence notwithstanding, the two jointly guided NASCAR and ISC, joking that, "In the past, we'd have a board meeting in the hall. My brother and I would meet and shoot the breeze for a few minutes". Upon the accession of Brian France to the chairmanship of NASCAR in 2003, Jim France served his nephew in a similar advisory role, most significantly after the 2007 death of France, Jr.

Grand American Road Racing Association

In 1999, France founded the Grand American Road Racing Association, a sanctioning body for various forms of road racing in North America, finally the governing entity for five series, including the Rolex Sports Car Series, the successor to the United States Road Racing Championship and the sponsor of the 24 Hours of Daytona; the Koni Challenge Series, a two-class touring car league; and the SunTrust Moto-ST Series, an endurance racing motorcycle series; the Association also operates the North American arm of the international Ferrari Challenge.

Worth

With a 2007 estimated net worth of US$1.5 billion, France was ranked, as his brother, by Forbes as the 664th-richest person in the world and as the third-wealthiest American motorsports personage.

See also

• France family