ANNE B. FRANCE

ANNE B. FRANCE (b. /1904 d. 01/02/1992)

 

Hometown: Nathan’s Creek, N.C.

Behind every great man…

The rest of that old adage applies perfectly to Anne Bledsoe, as she was known until she married a Washington, D.C. native named Bill France.

They met at a dance at Children’s Hospital in the nation’s capital, and were married in 1931. They arrived in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1934.

Bill France, aka “Big Bill,” had a mind for business, and his wife owned a knack for finance.

The pair would team to create what today is one of the largest and most popular sports in the world.

Anne France played a huge role in the family business. He organized and promoted races and she took care of financial end of the business.

She first served as secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, and when Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, she served in the same roles for International Speedway Corporation.

She also managed the speedway’s ticket office. She remained active in family and business life until her passing in 1992.

William H.G. France

William H.G. France – NASCAR Executive, NASCAR Hall of Fame FinalistBirthdate: September 26, 1909 (died June 7, 1992)
Hometown: Washington, D.C.

William Henry Getty France was called “Big Bill,” and only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature. He was larger than life it seemed, during the years of founding, then building, a sport. In the years since his 1992 death, his legend has grown, along with that sport.
France spearheaded NASCAR from its beginning and directed it to its present status as the world’s largest stock car racing organization. Born in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 26, 1909, he came to Daytona Beach, Fla., in the 1930s. In 1936, he helped lay out the first beach/road course in Daytona Beach; in the first race on the course he finished fifth. Starting in 1938, he helped promote races on the sands of Daytona Beach. That endeavor was interrupted by World War II but resumed in 1946.
In 1947, France became the driving force behind the establishment of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR, it was called, resulting from a famous meeting at the Streamline Hotel on State Road A1A in Daytona Beach – a structure that stands to this day, as a racing landmark.
In January 1972, France stepped down as president of NASCAR and handed the reins to his son William C. France. The elder France continued to be a consultant for a number of years, in addition to serving as ISC Chairman/President.
“Big Bill” France passed away in June 1992. He left behind a lasting legacy.
He remains larger than life – still.

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BILL FRANCE JUNIOR

Bill France Jr. – NASCAR Executive, NASCAR Hall of Fame Finalist

Birthdate: April 4, 1933 (died June 4, 2007)Hometown: Washington, D.C.

William Clifton France is remembered – and revered – as the man who followed his visionary father at NASCAR’s helm, in the process becoming a visionary himself, as he guided NASCAR to unprecedented levels of popularity.

He combined pragmatism with optimism, an approach that resulted in a calculated – and adventurous – road to success.

France, who died in June 2007 at the age of 74, grew up in the formative years of stock car racing, living and learning every detail of the sport from his own experiences and those of his father William Henry Getty France – who was known as Bill Sr., or “Big Bill” because of his 6-foot-5 stature. Bill Sr. was the founder and first president of NASCAR.

France became NASCAR’s president in January 1972, replacing his father and becoming only the second president of the world’s largest auto racing sanctioning body. His emergence coincided with the sport’s emergence, and its eventual ascent to become America’s No. 1 form of motorsports and the nation’s second-most popular sport overall.

France, often referred to as “Bill Jr.,” remained president until November 2000, when Mike Helton took over the position. At that time, France announced the formation of a NASCAR board of directors on which he served as chairman and CEO until October 2003 when he was replaced by his son, Brian Z. France. After that, he continued to serve the sport for the remainder of his life as NASCAR vice chairman.