NASCAR Executives

BRIAN Z. FRANCE
• Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer

Brian Z. France, actively involved in NASCAR for more than two decades, is a member of the NASCAR-founding France family and assumed the roles of NASCAR Chairman and CEO in October 2003. He is the grandson of NASCAR's founder, the late William H.G. ("Big Bill") France, and the son of the former President and Chairman/CEO of NASCAR, the late William C. France.

France has an extensive background in NASCAR, ranging from his experience as a race track manager to helping develop and manage NASCAR weekly short track and touring competitive levels.

As a track manager, he was involved in writing and enforcing rules, developing race procedures and all other aspects of competition. He successfully oversaw the transformation of the Tucson dirt track into one of the premier paved short tracks in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

France has been heavily involved with many of NASCAR's recent innovations. France worked closely with NASCAR's competition department in the development of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, which debuted in 1995. He was a key proponent of the NASCAR Research and Development Center, a facility opened in 2003 and dedicated to improving the safety and operational efficiency of the sport.

France has been at the forefront of NASCAR's dramatic sponsorship growth, including the ground-breaking announcement of Nextel Communications as the new sponsor of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series -- now known as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series -- beginning in 2004. He has also led a host of marketing initiatives, including internalizing the sanctioning body's licensing efforts and developing NASCAR's consolidated television plans that have culminated with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events being broadcast on ABC, ESPN, FOX Sports, FX, NBC Sports and TNT. France was actively involved in the October 2000 announcement of NASCAR joining forces with Turner Sports to produce NASCAR.COM.

France also spearheaded the opening of NASCAR offices in Los Angeles, New York and Charlotte to address the sanctioning body's growing business needs and partner base.

In 1999, The Sports Business Daily named France its Sports Industrialist of the Year and Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI) named him the SMEI Marketing Statesman of the Year. Previous awards include Advertising Age honoring France as one of the publication's top 100 marketers of the year and Promo Magazine naming him as one of that publication's top promoters of the year. In 2006, he was named to the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. He serves on many boards and is the founder and Chairman of NASCAR's Diversity Council, an organization comprised of motorsports executives focused on encouraging greater diversity within the industry.

JAMES C. FRANCE
• Vice Chairman/Executive Vice President

James C. (Jim) France is vice chairman/executive vice president of NASCAR and is also chairman/CEO for International Speedway Corporation (ISC).

France grew up in the early years of stock car racing, living and learning every detail of the sport from his own experiences, and from his father Bill France Sr., the founder and first president of NASCAR, and brother Bill, NASCAR's former president, chairman and CEO.

Joining ISC in 1959, France, in his early years with the company, worked in all phases of operations.

He was elected to the ISC board in 1970 and has served as the company's secretary, assistant treasurer, vice president, chief operating officer and executive vice president before being named the company's president in 1987.

France has been involved in motorsports most of his life. In addition to stock cars, he has also been a strong supporter of both sports car and motorcycle racing in the United States, evident by his professional involvement in those sports.

He served as starter for the U.S. Motorcycle Grand Prix in the late 1960s, raced dirt track races for nearly five years and has been a member of the American Motorcyclist Association for almost 26 years. In addition, France has raced karts on both dirt and asphalt.

France has served as a board member for ACCUS (Automobile Competition Committee of the United States).

France was on active duty in the U.S. Army from 1969-1970, serving in Vietnam.

France was born and raised in Daytona Beach, Fla., and graduated from Seabreeze High School. He attended Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla., and earned a business degree in 1968.

LESA KENNEDY
• Executive Vice President

Lesa France Kennedy, executive vice president of NASCAR, also serves as president of International Speedway Corporation, a motorsports entertainment company.

Kennedy, sister of NASCAR Chairman/CEO Brian France, has in the past been named one of the Top 20 Female Sports Executives by Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, as well as one of the 25 Most Influential People In NASCAR by the Charlotte Observer.

Kennedy joined ISC in 1983 and was named to the Board of Directors one year later. She was appointed Executive Vice President of the company in 1996. She also served as ISC's secretary from 1987-96 and as its treasurer from 1989-96.

Kennedy has been active in civic organizations in the Daytona Beach area including the Chamber of Commerce, Seaside Music Theater, Leadership Daytona, the Civic League of the Halifax Area and the United Way. She serves on the Board of Directors of SunTrust Bank as well as a Futures Board Member. She has also served on the Board of Trustees for Stetson University's School of Business.

Kennedy received a B.A. in economics and a B.A. in psychology from Duke University in 1983.

MIKE HELTON
• President

NASCAR's most visible leader at the race track, President Mike Helton assumed that role in November 2000 when he succeeded Bill France, who had served as president since 1972.

Helton was well-prepared for his new position, to say the least.

In February 1999 he had become the first person outside the France family to take over the day-to-day operations of NASCAR, when he was named senior vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to that, Helton had served as NASCAR's vice president for competition since January 1994.

Born and raised in Bristol, Va., Helton's motorsports experience is multifaceted. In addition to working for a sanctioning body, during his career he has also been a track operator, and even raced a little himself.

Helton's motorsports management experience began in 1980 at what was then known as Atlanta International Raceway. He was promoted to general manager in 1985 before joining the management team at Daytona International Speedway in 1986. Eighteen months later, Helton was offered the job of general manager at Talladega Superspeedway. Within two years, he quickly advanced to vice resident of International Speedway Corporation and in 1989 was promoted to president of the Talladega track. He held that position until January 1994, when he relocated to Daytona Beach, Fla., as the new vice president for competition -- all by the age of 40.

Helton is well-known by NASCAR's many fans as the man who presides in the "big hauler" on race weekends. He is the voice of authority -- and reason. But he also is a portrait of popularity, evident whenever he appears in the garage area, as he takes the time to greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photographs.

GARY CROTTY
• Secretary, General Counsel

W. Garrett "Gary" Crotty, Secretary and General Counsel for NASCAR, was named to NASCAR's Board of Directors in 2006.

Crotty, 43, is a native of Daytona Beach, Fla. Crotty received his undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1985 and his law degree from the University of Florida in 1988. Upon graduating from Florida he entered private practice specializing in general and commercial law. From 1990-91 he attended New York University, receiving a Master's Degree in taxation law.

Crotty has been with NASCAR since 1996. He oversees the company's legal department located in the corporate headquarters in Daytona Beach, as well as extended offices in Charlotte, N.C., Concord, N.C, and New York, N.Y.

On the NASCAR Board of Directors, he serves with four previous members: Chairman/CEO Brian France; Vice Chairman/Executive Vice President Jim France; Executive Vice President Lesa Kennedy; and President Mike Helton.