ANNE B. FRANCE (b. /1904 d. 01/02/1992)
Hometown: Nathan’s Creek, N.C.
Behind every great man…
The rest of that old adage applies perfectly to Anne Bledsoe, as she was known until she married a Washington, D.C. native named Bill France.
They met at a dance at Children’s Hospital in the nation’s capital, and were married in 1931. They arrived in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1934.
Bill France, aka “Big Bill,” had a mind for business, and his wife owned a knack for finance.
The pair would team to create what today is one of the largest and most popular sports in the world.
Anne France played a huge role in the family business. He organized and promoted races and she took care of the financial end of the business.
She first served as secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, and when Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, she served in the same roles for International Speedway Corporation. She also managed the speedway’s ticket office.
France remained active in family and business life until her passing in 1992.
ANNE B. FRANCE (b. /1904 d. 01/02/1992)
Hometown: Nathan’s Creek, N.C.
Behind every great man…
The rest of that old adage applies perfectly to Anne Bledsoe, as she was known until she married a Washington, D.C. native named Bill France.
They met at a dance at Children’s Hospital in the nation’s capital, and were married in 1931. They arrived in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1934.
Bill France, aka “Big Bill,” had a mind for business, and his wife owned a knack for finance.
The pair would team to create what today is one of the largest and most popular sports in the world.
Anne France played a huge role in the family business. He organized and promoted races and she took care of the financial end of the business.
She first served as secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, and when Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, she served in the same roles for International Speedway Corporation. She also managed the speedway’s ticket office.
France remained active in family and business life until her passing in 1992.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
- NASCAR to debut new short track package at Phoenix - February 28, 2023
- The Wrench Who Stole Racing - December 16, 2022
- Matt DiBenedetto’s excellent run comes to abrupt, violent end - February 17, 2019