“Big Bill” France Rules NASCAR with an Iron Fist.
By Gregg Leary
NASCAR -> Sprint Cup

1949:First “Strictly Stock” race at Charlotte.France disqualifies “winner” Glenn Dunnaway’s car for “stiffened springs.”Jim Roper is declared the winner.The decision is held up in court.France shows his power from Day One.

In 1961 Curtis Turner tries to organize the drivers into a Union (In return for a loan from the Teamsters Union to help save Turner’s Charlotte Motor Speedway) and allow betting on auto racing.
France says, “Before I have this union stuffed down my throat, I will plow up my track at Daytona Beach and plant corn there instead. I will also tear up all the tracks I have an interest in in the state of North Carolina. No known union member can compete in a NASCAR race,and I have a pistol to enforce it.” He banned Curtis Turner and Tim Flock for life.

1964: Chrysler’s 426 Hemi runs 20mph faster at Daytona than the year before.Richard Petty dominates the season. Joe Weatherly, Fireball Roberts and Jimmy Pardue are killed. NASCAR bans the Hemi for 1965.
1965: Petty and Chrysler teams boycott.Ford wins 32 straight races.France lets Hemi back in on short tracks and reinstates Curtis Turner. France lets an illegal Chevy start at Charlotte to try to boost attendance
1966: Hemi is permitted everywhere, but Ford’s overhead cam design is rejected. Ford boycotts,but returns at the end of the season.
1967:Petty’s Hemi dominates and wins 27 races-10 in a row.

1969:Talladega.Tires were shredding at speeds above 190mph.PDA asks France to postpone race until tires that could handle 200mph were developed.France jumps into a race car and runs laps at 175mph.”A new world record for a 59 year old man.” He files an entry for the race hoping to gain admission to PDA (Professional Driver’s Association) meetings. France refuses their requests and tells drivers to slow down.”It’s like flying. If you run into bad weather, you slow down.” Different tire compounds were flown in daily. Firestone left. Goodyear was persuaded to stay,but said they would not mount tires on any car that qualified above 190 mph. Most of the name drivers left. France filled the field with Grand Touring pony cars. Several “competition yellows” were displayed and the race was run without a crash or spin out.