THE SUCCESS AND/OR FAILURE OF ANY PROFESSIONAL SPORT HAS INVARIABLY
HINGED ON IT'S LEADERSHIP. THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THAT AT OPPOSITE ENDS
OF THE SPECTRUM ARE THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND THE NHL. BUT ALL
SPORTS EXECUTIVES PALE BESIDE BILL FRANCE JUNIOR.
"BILL WHO?" YOU ASK. WELL, BILL FRANCE JUNIOR ORCHESTRATED THE
MONSTROUS GROWTH OF NASCAR OVER THE LAST THREE DECADES. . WHEN JUNIOR TOOK
OVER NASCAR FROM HIS FATHER IN 1972 IT WAS A SERIES LIMITED TO THE SOUTHERN
UNITED STATES WITH A DAMAGING IMAGE OF CONFEDERATE FLAGS, BEER,
EX-RUM-RUNNERS AND GOOD 'OL BOYS. FRANCE IMMEDIATELY SET OUT TO
BROADEN THE FAN BASE. HE MOVED RACES TO NEW SPEEDWAYS IN LARGER
CENTRES. CHICAGO AND KANSAS CITY, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, LAS VEGAS AND
DALLAS. IN 1972 MOST OF THE DRIVERS WERE FROM CAROLINA, VIRGINIA AND
ALABAMA. WHEN FRANCE RETIRED THE MAJORITY CAME FROM THE WEST COAST,
MIDWEST AND NORTH EAST. HE NOT ONLY BUILT THE WINSTON CUP..NOW CALLED
THE NEXTEL CUP, HE ALSO ESTABLISHED THE POPULAR BUSCH SERIES WHICH WILL
MAKE A STOP HERE IN MONTREAL LATER THIS SUMMER AND THE CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES. THE FRANCE FAMILY OWNS NASCAR OUTRIGHT AND NASCAR OWNS 13 OF THE MAJOR CIRCUITS. IT NOW HAS A BILLION DOLLAR TELEVISION CONTRACT. ONLY THE NFL GETS BETTER TELEVISION RATINGS
THAN NASCAR. AS A CORPORATE ENTITY, TODAY NASCAR IS IN THE SAME
BALLPARK AS DISNEY AND AT&T. WHEN YOU THINK OF THE HISTORIC LEADERS IN NORTH
AMERICAN SPORTS, IMMEDIATLY PETE ROZELLE COMES TO MIND. BUT THE REST--BETTMAN,
STERN, SELIG, THEY'RE MIDGETS COMPARED TO BILL FRANCE JUNIOR.
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