CUP: France, Petty, Earnhardt Top First Class

Sprint Cup

CUP: France, Petty, Earnhardt Top First Class

NASCAR founder William Henry Getty France heads the first NASCAR Hall of Fame Class...

Tom Jensen | Posted October 14, 2009 Charlotte, NC

William Henry Getty France was called “Big Bill,” and only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature. He was larger than life, spearheading NASCAR from its beginning. (Photo: NASCAR)

NASCAR founder William Henry Getty France, seven-time Sprint Cup champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, William Clifton France and Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson are the first five inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which opens May 11, 2010, in Charlotte.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France made the announcement Wednesday afternoon during a press conference at Charlotte Convention Center, which was broadcast live on SPEED and streamed on SPEEDtv.com.

The winners:

BILL FRANCE SR. — William Henry Getty France was called “Big Bill,” and only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature. He was larger than life, spearheading 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., in 1909, he came to Daytona Beach, Fla., in the 1930s. In 1936, he helped lay out the first beach/road course in Daytona Beach and finished fifth in the first race. In 1938, he started helped promote races on the sands of Daytona Beach.

In 1947, France became the driving force behind the establishment of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR, was founded at a famous meeting at the Streamline Hotel 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.

What Richard Petty brought to NASCAR off the track during and after his long career cannot be measured by any numerical figures. (Photo: NASCAR)

RICHARD PETTY — What Richard Petty brought to NASCAR off the track during and after his long career cannot be measured by any numerical figures. The countless autographs he signed and the hands he shook made him a fan favorite and pushed NASCAR toward the front of the American conscience. Credit Petty for making NASCAR what it is today – the most fan-friendly sport in the world.

Petty’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series records are staggering: Most wins (200), most poles (123), tied for most championships (seven), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185).

Petty’s success continued even after his retirement from driving in 1992. He would still hold the top spot in the family business – Petty Enterprises, and now, Richard Petty Motorsports. In all, Petty Enterprises totaled 268 victories before merging with Gillett Evernham Motorsports for the 2009 season to become Richard Petty Motorsports.

William Clifton France followed his visionary father at NASCAR’s helm, in the process becoming a visionary himself, as he guided NASCAR to unprecedented levels of popularity.(Photo: NASCAR)

BILL FRANCE JR. — William Clifton France 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. He became NASCAR’s second president in January 1972, replacing his father. 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.

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Tom Jensen

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