From the June, 2007 issue of Stock Car Insider
Bill France Jr Remembered
While Big Bill France is credited with starting one of today's hottest sports, it is his son, "Little Bill" as Bill France Jr. would known as, brought it to the forefront of the American sports culture.When Bill France Jr took the helm in 1972, NASCAR was a small sanctioning body relegated to promoting races mainly to the South. But Jr quickly helped transform the sport by bringing big sponsors and big money to the table.
In 1973, Little Bill signed a deal with RJ Reynolds which led to a 30yr + sponsorship of NASCAR's top Winston Cup Series. The deal helped push the total point's payout at the end of each year from $750,000 to $2,000,000. Later deals were made with Anheuser-Busch to sponsor what is now the Busch Series.
Along with the big sponsors, Bill helped bring NASCAR to all Americans by signing a deal in 1979 to televise the Daytona 500 on CBS. The drama-laced finish that included Richard Petty taking the checkered flag while Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough duked it out in the infield brought huge ratings. The following season, NASCAR was televised on the newly formed ESPN. By 1989, Americans could view every NASCAR Winston Cup Race from the comfort of their own homes.
During his time, Bill France Jr transformed a rural sport into a national one that is rivaled only by the NFL. The leadership and foresight that Bill displayed in his near 30 years at the helm is awe-inspiring, and will be sorely missed.
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