Backseat Blonde - France Departure Rumors Persist

March 28, 2005

France Departure Rumors Persist
By Allison Wagda

NASCAR’s consummate insider somehow seems to be
a virtual outsider to many fans. And soon, he may take his
marketing ploys away from the sport his family built to the
NFL, if newspaper reports and a leak from Magic
Johnson are to be believed.

Brian France swept into the top position at America’s premier motorsports company
two years ago like a Florida hurricane. Once a behind-the-scenes figure more
interested negotiating deals and marketing the sport from a perch in Los Angeles,
he was promoted (in NASCAR’s traditional nepotistic fashion) onto the main stage
filled with ideas and raring to go.

And scared quite a few of us.

Almost immediately, the younger France set about changing the shape of the sport to
fit his mold. Without pausing to honeymoon in his new position, France started
meddling with impunity.

At the time, Jim Foster, retired NASCAR vice president, told the Associated Press,
“He’s always been an idea person. He was always coming to me and to his dad with
some new idea. Sometimes, we said, ‘That’s great, we can do that.’ Other times we
just told him, ‘Thanks, but I don’t think we’ll try that.’ But he was always thinking and
coming up with new ideas.”

In retrospect, it seems (at least from a grandstand view) France decided to take all
those ideas shot down over the years and use his newfound power to prove his
executive prowess. Now, the sport has been scrubbed so squeaky clean it is almost
blinding. Everything from qualifying to the championship format has been changed.
Fans are a little dizzy, but the numbers don’t lie. As much as many of the changes
have isolated long-time fans, he’s accomplishing his goal…to make more money.

Since France took over in September 2003, the stock of NASCAR’s parent company,
International Speedway Corp. has risen over 31%. He deserves credit for satisfying
investors. After all, NASCAR is a business as much as IBM or General Mills.

Now we keep hearing rumors he already has one foot out the door, that the lure of
the NFL trumps any loyalty to stock car racing. It was only 18 months ago he took
over, can he really mean to leave? Especially when he grew up with the sport?

It’s not as unlikely as it may sound. I’ve never gotten the impression France is all that
enamored with stock cars or racing in general. Sure, to the rest of us it sounds great.
At the youthful age of 41 to take over the largest racing series in the U.S.? Nirvana.
But when you’ve been raised with a golden key to the kingdom instead of even a
simple silver spoon, it would be easy to take it all for granted. Even resent it.

And as much as he’s tried to gloss over NASCAR’s southern roots, the sport hasn’t
managed to lose its redneck image overmuch. So as fans wander around in jeans
holding a Bud, France’s silk ties and designer suits brand him something of an
outsider to fans. The quintessential man with the perfect pedigree but little street
credibility.

Yet, in his defense, his father faced his own similar challenges when he took over
the sport. He too had to win over all the skeptics. It took time.

From a personal standpoint, I guess my hesitation to accept France, and all his
changes, come partially from the fact that I don’t get his “type.” He’s not someone I
would invite over for a Sunday BBQ. I’ve never met him, but an attitude of smug
superiority permeates his aura.

I just can’t dismiss the image of France’s face at the awards banquet last November.
Tony Stewart offered something of a sincere, if not butt-kissing, turnabout regarding
many of the changes instituted by France, and instead of graciously accepting the
capitulation France just smirked. It was caught on TV only for a fraction of a second,
but it was clear.

All this talk about Brian France leaving, while getting the hopes up of many of us
traditional fans, must make the rest of those behind NASCAR nervous. He may not
be popular with fans, however he seems to satisfy sponsors and certainly gives the
media something new to ponder each week.

Don’t be surprised (or disheartened) to see NASCAR spokespeople repeatedly and
categorically deny any rumors. Even if he had already told them of his imminent
plans, they would deny it until they were ready to make such an announcement. TV
deals are up for renegotiation soon and Sprint is in the process of purchasing
Nextel, a deal which could force NASCAR to eventually seek another lead sponsor.
Any signs of cracks in the façade would weaken NASCAR’s negotiation power.

You know, it’s still tough for me to accept this new direction in NASCAR. Perhaps
he’s right. Perhaps people like me simply resist change. Maybe we’re too stuck in
the past with our Buds and burgers and old beat up cars. But if the lure of the NFL
calls so strongly to France, I promise to not resist that change.

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