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Will Brian France's leadership live up to that of his father's and his grandfather's?
"We're going to have to let the results of the long-term speak for themselves," Brian France said. "Hopefully, I'll do a good job and keep things moving forward. I suppose you just have to wait and let some time go before you could say one way or the other."
If Brian has his way, not much will change at the top. France said Monday he will lean on the board of directors and other NASCAR executives when it comes time to make key decisions.
"We've been involving the board for a reason, because we wanted good oversight to the total management team," France said. "When it comes to making tough decisions, I'm ready to make them. But it won't be without reaching out to everybody that I can to get all the views we need to make the best decision. That includes my father if it rises to that level.
"Look, somebody has to make decisions, and I'm ready to do that."
France, 41, was a senior vice president who comes from the marketing arm of NASCAR. He took over the marketing department in 1994 and opened offices in New York and Los Angeles.
And though France was a track manager in his younger years, NASCAR president Mike Helton will still be the go-to guy on the competition side of the sport, and France doesn't plan many changes.
"Our operating team is doing a great job," France said. "I'm going to be as supportive, if anything, as I possibly can. I've worked with everybody for a long time, but I'll be more or less trying to communicate internally as to the things that I think are priorities or are important.
"We have such a great team that I'm more looking forward to working with them in setting the priorities and the agenda. I'll have things that are important to me as we get going. But there's no immediate sense that I've got to do one thing or the other. It's just to make sure we're all communicating and going in the right direction together."
Asked about how Hurricane Isabel could impact this weekend's Winston Cup and Busch Series races at Dover International Speedway, France passed the buck.
"My first duty is to defer that to Mike Helton," France said.
France said he would be at more races -- but not every race because he doesn't need to be.
"I have a high degree of confidence, as does the board, in Mike Helton, who will continue to lead that charge," France said. "John Darby is doing a great job. We've got Gary Nelson running the R&D center. If anything, I want to give them more resources to be successful.
"I'll be fully engaged, but I've got the luxury of having the best in the business weighing in and helping set the priorities."
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Among some of the priorities France mentioned Tuesday were continuing NASCAR's diversity programs and helping bring the sport to more places around the world. No, that doesn't include a NASCAR race in another country, but France would like to see the sport grow internationally.
"Not taking domestic events there, but finding a way to get our style of racing more prevalent in certain parts of the world," France said. "That's a long-term proposition, but we're examining that."
France will still be able to lean on his father, too. Bill France's office will be moved to another part of the building, but he said his "legs are in good shape."
Bill France's new role "hasn't quite been defined yet."
"My big first assignment is to try to stay out of the way and keep my hands off of everything," Bill France said. "I think I've done a fair job because, if nothing else, I've been in the hospital quite a bit the last three or four years."
But if anyone asks, Bill France will answer.
"And if it's important enough, well, I might even suggest it," France said.
Change? What change?
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