Brian France assumes control of racing series

Bill France Jr. remains co-vice chairman but will cut back on his daily duties.
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- Bill France Jr. turned over control of NASCAR to his son Saturday, ending a three-decade run in which stock car racing expanded from its backroad roots to a multibillion dollar industry.
Brian France was appointed NASCAR's board chairman and chief executive.
The elder France will cut back on his daily business activities, but will remain co-vice chairman and an active member of the board of directors.
Jim France, the younger son of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., will also be co-vice chairman and remain executive vice president of the sanctioning body, series vice president Jim Hunter announced at New Hampshire International Speedway.
"Brian is well prepared to lead this sport and this company into the future," Bill France Jr. said in a statement. "I am confident the future of NASCAR is in very capable hands.
"NASCAR is my life's work, and my father's before me; this decision is probably one of the most important ones I've made at NASCAR -- and I know it's the right decision."
Family history
His father, known as "Big Bill," started the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1948 to organize and promote what was then a chaotic sport that began with ex-moonshiners looking for a place to display their skill.
When Bill Sr. turned day-to-day management over to his eldest son in 1972, NASCAR was established, but still a niche sport with most of its races in the Southeast and little national interest.
Bill France Jr., 70, has led the transformation of NASCAR into the nation's second-most popular professional sports league behind the NFL.
It has grown into a multibillion dollar business with races coast-to-coast, including major markets, a national fan base and a $2.8 billion television contract.
Supporters have called the leadership by both "Big Bill" and Bill Jr. a "benevolent dictatorship," saying that has been a major reason for NASCAR's surge in popularity.
While other sports split into warring factions, the Frances have been able to control the direction and growth of stock car racing with little opposition.
Brian France, 41, has had a diverse career at NASCAR, acting as a racetrack manager to help develop and manage the company's Weekly and Touring Series division and launching the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He also was a key figure in getting NASCAR's new research and development facility off the ground.