JUNE 5, 2007

Bill France Jr

Bill France Jr, the man who took over NASCAR from his father Bill Sr and expanded it into the vast business it is today, has died at the age of 74. France was the NASCAR president from January 1972 to November 2000, during which time NASCAR grew from being a regional series to become a championship watched by the world. He handed the role of president over to Mike Helton but his son Brian took over as chairman of NASCAR in October 2003.