NASCAR CEO Jim France has stock car racing in his blood, but he also loves other disciplines of motorsports. A young former Formula One reserve driver caught France’s eye a couple of years ago, and France wanted to do something he had never done before: give the kid a chance in the NASCAR Cup championship.
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There was only one problem with France’s generosity: the NASCAR garage caught wind of his plans and balked at France’s plans to help driver Jack Aitken.
With the pushback so great, France had to cancel his plans for Aitken, a British and South Korean citizen.
The plan was originally to have Aitken take part in the Sonoma road course race on July 13. France had also lined up interest and participation from two Cup organizations: Hendrick Motorsports and Spire Motorsports.
But a story by The Athletic ended things before they were able to get solidified because — even though France’s intentions appeared admirable and above-board — there was a potential for conflict of interest.
Here’s how @JeffGluck of @TheAthletic explained the situation on X. Gluck also was co-writer of the original story that called France’s intent into question:
“Jim France was down the road with plans to field a Cup Series car, which would have seen the NASCAR CEO partner with Spire, Hendrick, and Chevy. The deal fell apart shortly after @TheAthletic began working on a story about it.
“Whatever France’s intentions, the move would have sparked questions from an already skeptical fan base that scrutinizes every NASCAR decision and in-race call to detect perceived favoritism.”
But Here’s Another Conflict No One Is Talking About
Interestingly, France also owns Action Express Racing (AER), which competes in the NASCAR-owned International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) sports car series.
And guess who one of AER’s drivers is? Yep, you’ve got it, 29-year-old Jack Aitken.
So as details were worked out, the deal to field Aitken in a Spire car was all but set — until The Athletic started asking questions.
Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson didn’t think much of the situation, that France was going to pay the same amount anyone else would pay who wanted to essentially rent a ride and a crew for a particular race.
“I didn’t really even think it was that big of a deal,” Dickerson told The Athletic. “I didn’t even think it was that deep.”
But once word began to filter through the garage, more and more individuals and teams began to cry foul, that even if everything was on the up and up with the France – Spire deal, there was still a perception that it may have been a sweetheart deal.
And that was it, the deal came to an abrupt end. While Aitken’s dreams of racing in NASCAR will have to be fulfilled by someone else – if anyone at all – at least he can still continue racing for France’s IMSA team.
While the Sonoma race plan is now shelved, there could be a way for Aitken to compete in other Cup road course races later this year at Watkins Glen and the Charlotte Roval. It’s unclear if France will do more lobbying to try and sell the idea once again — and make it more palatable — to owners and Cup drivers.
Time will tell if that becomes the case.
