Bill France Jr. left impact on people as well as business (cont'd)

France's memorial service was rightfully scheduled at a large concert hall at the local Bethune-Cookman University, in expectation of a large turnout.

NASCAR was formed as a family company, and in the days before it grew to a large corporate entity, Bill France thrived on his close relationships with his loyal employees, a trait he'd picked up from his father.

Visitation for Bill France Jr. was held Wednesday at the Seabreeze United Church in Daytona Beach.

At Christmas parties and other gatherings he easily engaged in banter with individuals or the entire group, such as at one pre-Speedweeks VIP fete at which he attempted to address the crowd, which wouldn't hush when he stepped to the podium.

"Yo!" France finally hollered. "I'm paying the bill for this, and y'all are going to quiet down" -- or words to that effect. It was pure ol' "country Bill."

J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing, assumed control of his team from his father, the Washington Redskins' coach who founded it. Thus, he recognizes and appreciates the challenges, as well as the achievements, of France.

"It is hard to work with your dad and them [to] work with their son -- I know that is hard," J.D. Gibbs said. "The fact that they have been able to do that so successfully for such a long time and be as strong as they are today, is really and truly an accomplishment.

"We trust NASCAR. We may not agree with them about everything, but we trust them to make good decisions. [Bill] made good decisions, my family is indebted to him; our sport is indebted to him.

"I think you will see a lot of that the next few weeks, appreciation for everything he did and an outpouring toward him and his family."

The thought in many corners is that the appreciation will go on for as long as NASCAR races take green and checkered flags.