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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 492 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 492

 Honoring William ``Bill'' Clifton France, the former president, chief 
    executive officer, and chairman of NASCAR, for his lifetime of 
              contributions and dedication to motorsports.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    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
    Resolved,  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.
                                 <all>
```