France told drivers before the Daytona 500 he hoped they would put on a good show for the fansgetty images
The Daytona 500 provided NASCAR with the "event it needed to start its rebuilding season" after Chair & CEO Jim France "used the prerace driver meeting to urge the full 40-car field to get up on the wheel and race," according to Jenna Fryer of the AP. Up until Sunday, drivers had "spent the week in single-file lines," and only Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott had frequented the second, bottom lane, leading into the race. France said, “I hope a few of you drivers out there will get down on the bottom with Denny and Chase and put on a good show today." Fryer: "Who knows if France’s request ... was the kick in the seat the drivers needed?" They raced "hard from the very start, tore up a couple million dollars’ worth of cars, and put on a rather memorable show" (AP, 2/18). Motorsports reporter Jeff Gluck wrote it is unclear if the race's happenings were "because of France’s comment," but there was "certainly a shift in tone and attitude among the drivers once the race began." France "clearly has the respect of the garage," and the drivers are "willing to trust his vision." More than "anytime in the last two decades, NASCAR seems intent in putting on a show." For the drivers, France "has their ear," and his "not-so-subtle message likely stuck in their memories as they prepared to take the green flag on Sunday" (JEFFGLUCK.com, 2/17).
