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Daytona Beach, Florida Unlike his father and grandfather before him, Brian France brings a marketing background steeped in college and seasoned real world experience to NASCAR. He is a man more comfortable in delegating responsibilities instead of ruling with unquestioning authority. He is a man more at ease talking to a board of directors than chatting up a star driver. He is a man whose very existence relies on racing, although he couldn't tell you what makes one of his cars go so fast. But make no mistake: Brian France is just like his grandfather and father before him. NASCAR is more than America's top form of motorsports. It's a family business that measures success in both personal and material ways. It begs to be different than its stick-and-ball counterparts. It starts the season with its biggest race – the Daytona 500, which celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2008 – and it remains the longest professional sport season in the world, stretching all the way to Thanksgiving weekend with 36 regular season races and a pair of all-star events. Much as the grizzled hand of George Halas founded the National Football League, the shear will of cantankerous gas station owner Bill France founded NASCAR. While many questioned his vision, nobody questioned his authority as the only voice that mattered, especially since justice sometimes was served with a fist or a revolver.  In 30 years, NASCAR moved from dusty Southern bullrings to Mainstream America driven by the engine of the family France. His son, Bill France Jr., was just as tough. But as Vince Lombardi took the NFL to its next logical step, France Jr. convinced television that stock car racing was must-see TV. And he brought in a national sponsor in Winston. When Brian took control in 2003, NASCAR already was at warp speed toward its position as the second most-popular sport in the U.S. But the third-generation France, 44, took the sport to unfathomable levels. "I've been fortunate to spend my entire life in this sport and have worked with some of the giants who made NASCAR what it is today, starting with my father and my grandfather, " Brian France said, "I certainly hope I don't let them down." Paul Tagliabue personally transformed the NFL from a sport to a global business; Brain France has done he same. He created a $750 million title sponsorship from Sprint/Nextel, a $4.5 billion television contract with Fox, FX, TNT, ESPN and ABC, a diversity program and a marketing department that generates more than $2.2 billion in annual sales. Television numbers were stagnant last year with 31 of 36 races reporting drops in ratings, but the statistics still represent significant gains under his watch. Viewership has swelled from six million a race to more than nine million, according to Nielsen Media Research. And at the same time, NASCAR has become the biggest sport in the country in live attendance, with an average crowd of more than 110,000 spectators a race. And there's enough money for everyone. Racing has made just about everyone in the France family billionaires; drivers are all millionaires. For example, 41 drivers last year made at least $1 million, led by series champion Jimmie Johnson at $15.9 million. Young France developed his business savvy at the University of Central Florida and as a track promoter at one of the family's tracks at Tuscan, Arizona. But his direction has been far-reaching since, pushing the sport a galaxy beyond its perceived Southeast borders and into the world's consciousness. In less than three years, NASCAR experienced a stunning metamorphosis. Once driven solely by competition, NASCAR changed all that under France, tripling the marketing, licensing and public relations staffs. He re-vamped the point system to include a 10-race, made-for-television Chase for the Sprint/Nextel Cup. And it was no coincidence that NASCAR created its playoff system to run against the NFL. Continued on next page...
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