110 HRES 492 IH: Honoring William U.S. House of Representatives 2007-06-18 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 492 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 18, 2007 Ms. Castor submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform RESOLUTION Honoring William Bill Clifton France, the former president, chief executive officer, and chairman of NASCAR, for his lifetime of contributions and dedication to motorsports.

Whereas Bill France led NASCAR for 31 years before retiring in 2003; Whereas Bill France replaced his father, the founder of NASCAR, as president in 1972; Whereas the Daytona 500 was televised by CBS in 1979 as a result of negotiations by Bill France, gaining national recognition for motorsports; Whereas NASCAR emerged from its Southern base in Daytona, Florida to reach the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994; Whereas the International Speedway Corporation, of which Bill France was chief executive officer since 1981, was named to Forbes list of the 200 Best Small Companies in America in 1998; Whereas NASCAR became the third-ranked professional sports entity on television, after the NFL and NBA, after signing contracts with FOX, NBC, and TBS in 1999; Whereas Bill France was named International Entrepreneur of the Year by the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2001; Whereas the NASCAR Foundation Family of Charities, a group of more than 30 organizations that support children’s programs, animal welfare, and conservation, was an initiative of Bill France and the France family that began in 2003; Whereas Bill France was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Alabama in 2004; Whereas Bill France was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in Novi, Michigan in 2004; Whereas Bill France was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Midland, Michigan in 2006; Whereas the International Speedway Corporation currently promotes more than 100 annual racing events in addition to several other motorsports activities, owns or operates 13 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities, and owns and operates MRN Radio, the nation’s largest independent sports radio network; and Whereas Bill France passed on his title as International Speedway Corporation’s chief executive officer to his brother, James C. France, his position as chairman and chief executive officer of NASCAR to his son, Brian France, and his daughter, Lesa France Kennedy, has become president of International Speedway Corporation: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives honors William Clifton France, the former president, chief executive officer, and chairman of NASCAR, for his lifetime of contributions and dedication to motorsports.