 | From Official Release April 26, 2005 01:19 PM EDT (17:19 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- International Speedway Corporation president Lesa France Kennedy has been named "The Most Influential Woman in Sports Business" by Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal. In its most recent edition published April 25, the publication "selected women who are actively applying their influence on a daily basis, none more so than the executive atop our ranking, Lesa France Kennedy of International Speedway Corp."  |  | | Lesa France Kennedy |
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The article continues: "She will continue to take stock car racing into new markets, greatly influence the consumer experience at race tracks and broaden the footprint of a sport that has become decidedly mainstream." Leveraging more than 20 years of industry experience, France Kennedy has been instrumental in growing ISC into a leader in sports entertainment. In addition to acquiring key facilities and executing strategic internal growth initiatives, France Kennedy was the driving force in bringing NASCAR racing to several high-profile markets including Chicago and Kansas City. France Kennedy and ISC currently are pursuing the development of facilities in the New York borough of Staten Island and the Pacific Northwest. "It is an honor to be in the company of such high-profile women as Dawn Hudson and Nancy Monsarrat as well as many of our marketing partners," Ms. France Kennedy said. "This recognition is a testament to the growth of the motorsports industry and its appeal to all demographic sections. Our ISC team remains committed to bringing major motorsports entertainment to the broadest audience possible, while providing our guests and partners with an unforgettable experience. Without the focus and support of our outstanding senior management team and all ISC employees, this honor would not have been attainable." ISC is a leading promoter of motorsports activities in the United States, currently promoting more than 100 events annually. The Company owns and/or operates 11 of the nation's major motorsports facilities: Daytona International Speedway Talladega Superspeedway Michigan International Speedway Richmond International Raceway California Speedway Kansas Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Homestead-Miami Speedway Martinsville Speedway Darlington Raceway Watkins Glen International Other track ownership includes an indirect 37.5 percent interest in Raceway Associates, LLC, which owns and operates Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway near Chicago. The Company also owns and operates MRN Radio, the nation's largest independent sports radio network; DAYTONA USA, the "Ultimate Motorsports Attraction" in Daytona Beach, Fla., the official attraction of NASCAR; and subsidiaries which provide catering services, food and beverage concessions, and produce and market motorsports-related merchandise under the trade name "Americrown." For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.iscmotorsports.com.  |
| The 20 Most Influential Women In Sports Business |
| Rank |
Name |
Title |
| 1. |
Lesa France Kennedy |
President, International Speedway Corp. |
| 2. |
Dawn Hudson |
President and CEO, Pepsico North America |
| 3. |
Nancy Monsarrat |
Director of U.S. Advertising, Nike |
| 4. |
Stephanie Tolleson |
Senior Corporate Vice President, IMG |
| 5. |
Heidi Ueberroth |
EVP, Global Media Prop. Marketing Partnerships, NBA |
| 6. |
Lee Ann Daly |
Executive Vice President, Marketing, ESPN |
| 7. |
Jeanie Buss |
Executive Vice President, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 8. |
Jamie Mccourt |
Vice Chairman, Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 9. |
Cathy Bessant |
CMO, Bank of America |
| 10. |
Amy Trask |
Chief Executive, Oakland Raiders |
| 11. |
Cindy Alston |
VP Communications and Equity Development, Gatorade |
| 12. |
Jennifer Shaw |
Senior Vice President, GM Mediaworks |
| 13. |
Bea Perez |
VP of Sports Marketing, Coca-Cola North America |
| 14. |
Val Ackerman |
President, USA Basketball |
| 15. |
Lisa Murray |
Executive Vice President and CMO, Octagon |
| 16. |
Donna Orender |
President, WNBA |
| 17. |
Pam Gardner |
President of Business Operations, Houston Astros |
| 18. |
Christine Driessen |
CFO, ESPN |
| 19. |
Linda Bruno |
Commissioner, Atlantic 10 |
| 20. |
Donna Lopiano |
CEO, Women's Sports Foundation |
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