Jim France: Making moves behind the scenes

Called into action to run NASCAR, France draws upon his genuine roots in the sport to be a steady, guiding force that’s content to remain outside the spotlight

Jim France sat and listened as NASCAR staffers reviewed key initiatives that were supposed to help reverse the sport’s sagging fortunes.

He didn’t like what he was hearing.

Knowing all too well that the sport needed to stem declines in key performance indicators such as ratings, attendance and sponsorship, France challenged his executive team to put a greater focus on initiatives that would drive actual growth, according to people familiar with the meeting.

Why was the sport continuing to invest in areas that had questionable results?

Instead, why not just focus on the basics that could do the most good for those key indicators?

The meeting was in 2017, before France was pressed into emergency duty last year to run NASCAR. But it offered an example of the straightforward approach he brings to the sport, a leadership style in which he prefers to stay out of the limelight and instead just get things done.