As NASCAR President Bill France "inches toward
retirement, a question looms," according to BUSINESS WEEK's
Dunnavant & Muller, who wonder, "Can the next generation
handle the treacherous curves ahead? Will it all come apart
without Bill in control?" France "stops short of anointing"
ISC Exec VP, and daughter, Lesa Kennedy or his son, NASCAR
VP Brian France as his successor. Brian France: "[NASCAR]
may be too big and too complicated in the future for one
sheriff." While Bill France "expects to step aside within
the next three or four years," NASCAR COO Mike Helton said,
"I don't see Bill slowing down one bit. Believe me, he's
still the man." Dunnavant & Muller write the "next
generation" of NASCAR leadership "will be forced to confront
the problems of growth," as Bill France's "shoes keep
getting bigger each day" with issues such as expansion,
possibly "splitting the circuit" into two divisions and
concern that sponsors and TV networks "will worry about any
change that might dilute the product" (BUSINESS WEEK, 11/1).
STILL HOT TOPIC: ESPN spokesperson Dave Nagle, on Dale
Jarrett's crew chief Todd Parrott cursing while wearing a
live mic during the recent Winston 500: "We're embarrassed
about it. ... The system is not foolproof." Though Nagle
said "we've had some viewer response" from the mix up, ESPN
"has no plans to cut back on live audio" (TENNESSEAN,
10/24). In Charlotte, David Poole: "ESPN messed this one
up. It messed up royally when it replayed the race and
still didn't bleep the word Parrott used. That's
unforgivable, and somebody's bottom should be in a big-time
sling over that" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/24). Jarrett called
NASCAR fining Parrott $5,000 "ludicrous. First of all, it
was ESPN's fault, so they should pay for it." NASCAR COO
Mike Helton, on the fine: "To be serious about expanding our
audience, we have to show that we're serious about policing
the people in the sport" (NEWS & OBSERVER, 10/24).
