Former NASCAR Chairman Bill France Jr. Dies

Bill France Jr., who transformed NASCAR from a small Southern sport into a billion-dollar conglomerate during his 31 years as chairman, died Monday. He was 74.<br/><br/>He died at his Daytona Beach, Fla.,

Monday, June 4th 2007, 2:22 pm

By: News On 6

Bill France Jr., who transformed NASCAR from a small Southern sport into a billion-dollar conglomerate during his 31 years as chairman, died Monday. He was 74.

He died at his Daytona Beach, Fla., home, NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said.

France had been in poor health for much of the last decade -- he was diagnosed with cancer in 1999. Although he was in remission, the extensive treatments took a toll. He never regained his full strength, often had difficulty breathing and had taken to using a
motorized scooter to get around.