Names In The News

Family and friends -- "hundreds of friends" -- said farewell on Thursday to late NASCAR Exec VP & Assistant Treasurer BETTY JANE FRANCE. The "standing-room only crowd" included NASCAR and ISC employees and motorsports notables including RICHARD PETTY and JEFF GORDON. France "was married for 50 years" to BILL FRANCE JR, who died in '07. Her son, NASCAR Chair & CEO BRIAN FRANCE, "was joined at the service by his sister," ISC CEO LESA FRANCE KENNEDY, her son, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver BEN KENNEDY and NASCAR Vice Chair and ISC Chair JIM FRANCE. The service also included former NASCAR drivers RUSTY WALLACE and DARRELL WALTRIP, as well as car owners RICK HENDRICK, RICHARD CHILDRESS, ROGER PENSKE, FELIX SABATES and CHIP GANASSI (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 9/2). 

SHUTTING IT DOWN: NASCAR driver DALE EARNHARDT JR. will not return to competition this season as he continues to recover from a concussion suffered earlier this year. JEFF GORDON and ALEX BOWMAN will split time in Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet for the season's remaining 12 races, with Gordon driving the No. 88 this weekend at Darlington Raceway (NASCAR).

NOT GOING AWAY: The NCAA on Wednesday was “hit with seven new complaints from former college football players who allege that the NCAA, along with a number of athletic conferences, failed to protect them from concussions.” The complaints are the “latest in a series of lawsuits seeking class-action states.” So far, there are “22 cases in which former college football players allege they are suffering from chronic, long-term health problems related to repeated concussions (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/2). 

THE GOOD STUFF: JOHN DENNIS "wrapped up his 19-year run" on WEEI-FM’s "Dennis and Callahan" show with his "usual good work" on the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, which raised more than $3.5M. But it did not take WEEI-FM long to "change the proverbial nameplate on the door." The name of the morning show was "changed to 'Kirk and Callahan' -- for remaining cohosts KIRK MINIHANE and GERRY CALLAHAN -- not long after the two-day telethon was complete" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/2)....The NFL Alumni Association and Cancer Treatment Centers of America are “combining on a series of ‘Prostate Pep Talk’ public service announcements to raise awareness of prostate cancer risks.” Former NFL coaches HERM EDWARDS, DICK VERMEIL and BILL COWHER will be “featured in those announcements, which will run throughout September (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 8/31).

NAMES: The $160,050 in cash and gifts Philadelphia District Attorney SETH WILLIAMS "belatedly decided to report raises a host of ethical, if not legal, questions for the city's top law enforcement officer." But one gift in particular "stands out for its sheer sense of entitlement: two sideline passes Williams received to five years' worth of Eagles home games" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 9/2)....WAYNE GRETZKY this month is “opening a restaurant” at Edmonton Int’l Airport. Construction on Wayne Gretzky’s No. 99 Wine & Whisky restaurant “is nearly complete” (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/2)....Cardinals P ADAM WAINWRIGHT will appear “PROXIMITY,” a St. Louis-shot film that “opens in four” local theaters this weekend (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 9/2)....Former Olympian JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE will “deliver the opening keynote” at the ’16 WICT Leadership Conference on Sept. 19 at the N.Y. Marriott Marquis. She was “recently named a national spokeswoman for Comcast’s ‘Internet Essentials’” (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 9/1)....Mavericks F DIRK NOWITZKI will host his inaugural eponymous Pro Celebrity Tennis Classic on Sept. 18 at the SMU Tennis Center, with proceeds benefiting his foundation. Among those scheduled to attend are BEN STILLER, ANDY RODDICK and Mavericks G J.J. BAREA and F HARRISON BARNES (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/2)....The new ownership group for USL club Arizona United includes Dodgers P BRANDON MCCARTHY (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/31).... The Penguins will visit the White House on Oct. 6 to celebrate their Stanley Cup win (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 9/1).