Jim France leading change from shadows

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. >> Jim France is running NASCAR the same way he lives his life — quietly, in the background, away from the spotlight he never craved.

The youngest son of NASCAR’s founder carved his own path in the family business and left the leadership roles to his father, Bill France Sr., and then to his older brother. Jim France ran sports cars, served on NASCAR’s boards and was content when nephew Brian France replaced Bill France Jr. as chairman of NASCAR in 2003.

Brian France made radical changes to the playoff system, approved a new car and stage racing, pulled NASCAR out of some of its traditional markets for big city exposure and, along the way, managed to alienate a chunk of the series’ aging fan base. He showed little interest in calls for a condensed season, shorter events, weekday races and a greater variety of tracks even as NASCAR spent much of the last decade unable to stop a slide in attendance and television ratings or an exodus of top sponsors.

Then Brian France was arrested last August in New York, hundreds of miles from Chase Elliott’s first Cup Series victory that same day, on charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He immediately took a leave of absence and uncle Jim France stepped in as interim chairman and CEO.

Jim France has been at almost every NASCAR race since, available for drivers and teams and walking pit road, sometimes summoning officials to look things over. The “interim” label has been dropped from his title and it is clear Jim France is at long last running the show.

TERRY RENNA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Jim France, executive vice president of NASCAR, stands on pit road as he watches at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla. on Feb. 9.