France Gives Up NASCAR Control

NASCAR president Bill France on Wednesday turned over control of the racing circuit's daily operations to Mike Helton.

The move marks the first time France or his late father, Bill France Sr., hasn't been in charge of NASCAR since the circuit was formed 51 years ago.

France will remain NASCAR's president, while Helton will be senior vice president and chief operating officer. France, 66, said he is not departing the NASCAR scene, only taking a diminished role.

"You can read the tea leaves as well as I can," he said during a news conference. "That's the best answer I can give you right now."

France said Helton had been moving into the role as NASCAR's day-to-day manager over the past few years.

"We're just making it formal," France said.

Helton said the move should not suggest that major changes will follow.

"There's no new agenda that needs to be accomplished, other than managing growth of NASCAR the way it is going today," Helton said.

Helton entered racing in 1980 as public relations director at Atlanta International Raceway. He came to Daytona and began working for the France family in 1986 as director of promotions and market development.

He was hired as vice president of competition for NASCAR in 1994.

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