Bill France Jr. facts for kids

William Clifton France (April 4, 1933 – June 4, 2007), known as Bill France Jr., was a very important person in the world of auto racing. He led NASCAR, a famous racing organization, for many years, from 1972 to 2000. NASCAR organizes stock car racing in the United States. Bill France Jr. took over from his father, Bill France Sr., who started NASCAR. Later, his son, Brian France, also became the leader of NASCAR.

Early Life and Racing Roots

Growing Up Around Racing

Bill France Jr. was born in Washington, D.C.. His family moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1935. This move happened during tough economic times in the country. He went to Seabreeze High School and then the University of Florida. After college, he spent two years serving in the United States Navy.

Building Race Tracks

From a young age, Bill France Jr. helped out at race tracks. He sold snacks and helped people park their cars. He worked very hard when the Daytona International Speedway was being built. For over a year, he worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week. He drove heavy machines like compactors, bulldozers, and graders. He even tried using a mule to pull trees out of the swamp!

Motorcycle Racing Fun

Bill France Jr. also loved riding off-road motorcycles. In the 1960s, he started competing in long-distance races called enduros. He even entered the famous Baja 1000 motorcycle race in the early 1970s. He helped bring motocross racing to Daytona. These motocross races became very popular, turning into the Daytona Supercross. This event is now a big part of Daytona Beach Bike Week.

Leading NASCAR to New Heights

Taking Over NASCAR

After working as vice-president for six years, Bill France Jr. became the head of NASCAR. This happened on January 10, 1972, when his father, Bill France Sr., retired. Many people say that Bill Jr. becoming the leader was one of the most important moments in NASCAR's history. During his time, NASCAR grew from a sport mostly watched in the Southern U.S. to a nationally televised sport.

Expanding Beyond the U.S.

Bill France Jr. helped NASCAR become known outside of America. In 1981, he worked with Australian businessman Bob Jane. They planned to bring stock car racing to Australia. A special high-banked track, the Calder Park Thunderdome, was built in Melbourne. It was the first NASCAR-style track outside North America. The first NASCAR race there was in 1988. This was the first NASCAR race ever held outside of North America.

Big Race Programs

He continued his father's work to make the Daytona 500 stock car race and the Daytona 200 motorcycle race even bigger. In 1985, the "Winston Million" program started. This program gave a $1 million bonus to any driver who could win three out of four special races. The prize money for NASCAR champions also grew a lot during his leadership.

Bringing Racing to TV Screens

In 1972, not many NASCAR races were shown on TV. But Bill France Jr. changed that. He made a deal with CBS Sports to show the entire 1979 Daytona 500 race live. This was the first time a NASCAR race was shown live from start to finish across the country. The race got huge TV ratings. This was partly because of a big snowstorm in other parts of the U.S. During the race, the leaders crashed on the last lap. This led to a famous fight between the drivers. The high ratings and news coverage helped Bill France Jr. sign more TV deals. He made agreements with ESPN, TNN, and TBS. His biggest achievement was a record-breaking $2.4 billion TV contract in 1999. This deal was for the 2001 racing season.

Helping Others

In 1993, Bill France Jr. learned about a six-year-old girl named Sarah Ashley Secoy. She had leukemia. He called her father and promised to help make her story known. He wanted to find a bone marrow donor for her. His efforts helped her story become big news on radio and TV. He also helped fund a song called "Sarah's Song." He promoted this song to many radio stations around the world. Millions of dollars were raised to help pay for her hospital care. A donor was found, and she became the first patient to survive her type of leukemia. This led to new ways of treating childhood cancers, saving many lives.

Later Life and Legacy

Passing the Torch

In 2000, Bill France Jr. was diagnosed with cancer. He then handed over the presidency of NASCAR to Mike Helton. In 2003, he made his son, Brian France, the main leader and chairman of NASCAR. Bill France Jr. remained a member of NASCAR's board of directors.

The France family still owns NASCAR. They also have a major share in International Speedway Corporation, which operates many race tracks. Bill France Jr. continued to be the chairman of ISC until he passed away. His daughter, Lesa France Kennedy, is now the president of ISC.

His Passing

Bill France Jr. passed away from lung cancer on June 4, 2007, in Daytona Beach, Florida. His death happened during a NASCAR Cup race. The news was shared during the live TV broadcast of the race. A moment of silence was held, and the track's flag was lowered to half-staff.

Halls of Fame Inductions

Bill France Jr. was honored for his contributions to motorsports many times. He was inducted into several important halls of fame:

• International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2004.
• Automotive Hall of Fame in 2006.
• NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.