James C. France is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 motorsports executive, at present the vice chairman of the board of directors

Board of directors

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...

 and executive vice president of NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 and the former chief executive officer

Chief executive officer

A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...

 (CEO) of International Speedway Corporation

International Speedway Corporation

International Speedway Corporation is a corporation whose primary business is the ownership and management of NASCAR race tracks. ISC was founded by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. in 1953 for the construction of Daytona International Speedway and in 1999 they merged with Penske Motorsports to...

 (ISC).

NASCAR and ISC

The son of NASCAR co-founder William Henry Getty France, Jim France began working for his father at ISC in 1959, aged 14 years, and ultimately acceded to the ISC presidency in 1987. With his brother Bill France, Jr.

Bill France, Jr.

William Clifton France , nicknamed "Bill Jr." and "Little Bill," was an American motorsports executive who served from 1972 to 2000 as the head of NASCAR, the sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing. He succeeded the founder of NASCAR, his father Bill France, Sr., as its head...

, he inherited

Inheritance

Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...

 control of NASCAR and ISC upon his father's death in 1992, and, a member, and for a time secretary, of the board of directors of NASCAR, he served influentially as an advisor to his brother through the latter's retirement as NASCAR president in 2000 and as NASCAR CEO and chairman of the board in 2004; France, Jr., explained in 2000 that his singular prominence notwithstanding, the two jointly guided NASCAR and ISC, joking that, "In the past, we'd have a board meeting in the hall. My brother and I would meet and shoot the breeze for a few minutes". Upon the accession of Brian France

Brian France

Brian France is the CEO and Chairman of NASCAR, taking over the position from his father, Bill France, Jr., in 2003 . He is widely known and regarded as one of the most powerful men in sports. France's family pioneered NASCAR out of a Southeast based sport, into a national and international multi...

 to the chairmanship of NASCAR in 2003, Jim France served his nephew in a similar advisory role, most significantly after the 2007 death of France, Jr.

Grand American Road Racing Association

In 1999, France founded the Grand American Road Racing Association

Grand American Road Racing Association

GRAND-AM Road Racing or GRAND-AM is an auto racing sanctioning body that was established in 1999 to organize road racing competitions in North America...

, a sanctioning body

Sport governing body

A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...

 for various forms of road racing

Road racing

Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...

 in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

, finally the governing entity for five series, including the Rolex Sports Car Series

Rolex Sports Car Series

The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...

, the successor to the United States Road Racing Championship

United States Road Racing Championship

The United States Road Racing Championship was created by the Sports Car Club of America in 1962. It was the first SCCA series for professional racing drivers. SCCA Executive Director John Bishop helped to create the series to recover races that had been taken by rival USAC Road Racing...

 and the sponsor of the 24 Hours of Daytona

24 Hours of Daytona

The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...

; the Koni Challenge Series

KONI Challenge Series

The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge is a racing series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. Originating from the Canadian Motorola Cup, the series was taken over by Grand-Am in 2001 to become the Grand-Am Cup following the demise of rival IMSA's Firehawk series of similar rules...

, a two-class touring car

Touring car

A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...

 league; and the SunTrust Moto-ST Series, an endurance racing motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

 series; the Association also operates the North American arm of the international Ferrari Challenge

Ferrari Challenge

The Ferrari Challenge is a single-marque motorsport championship that was created in 1993 for owners of the 348 Berlinetta who wanted to become involved in racing. It now encompasses three official championships in the United States, Italy, and Europe. Competitors from each series are brought...

.

Worth

With a 2007 estimated net worth of US$

United States dollar

The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

1.5 billion

1000000000 (number)

1,000,000,000 is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001.In scientific notation, it is written as 109....

, France was ranked, as his brother, by Forbes

Forbes

Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...

as the 664th-richest person in the world and as the third-wealthiest American motorsports personage.

External links