On Tuesday, The NASCAR Foundation announced the four finalists who have been shortlisted to be the winner of the 14th annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. This juncture presents a good opportunity to look at who the late Betty Jane France was and what the impact of her incredible contribution to the world of professional stock car racing was.
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The France family was growing to be a tremendously powerful dynasty in the United States back in the latter half of the 20th century. As is the case with most such organizations, NASCAR needed an arm that would carry out activities of goodwill to enrich the community that it belongs to. This is what Betty Jane, the wife of Bill France Jr. helped out with in a big way.
She was a lifeguard in Winston-Salem when she met the prince of the NASCAR kingdom in 1957. Bill France Jr. had recruited her and made her enter a beauty pageant to be crowned “Miss NASCAR”.
Although she lost the title, she won NASCAR itself. The duo dated for a while and married seven months later. This sequence of events led her to become the “First Lady of NASCAR”.
Following their marriage, the France family moved to Daytona Beach and that is where Betty Jane spent most of her life. She helped out with accounting and other tasks in the early days of NASCAR before becoming the executive vice president and assistant treasurer. Following decades of charitable efforts on the side, she created The NASCAR Foundation in 2006.
The NASCAR Foundation and the 2024 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award
The mission that she set for herself with this venture was to improve the lives of children in need. This led her to set up the racing-themed Speediatrics children’s care unit at Daytona Beach’s Halifax Health.
It was also recreated in South Florida’s Homestead Hospital. The idea was to create places where kids wouldn’t be intimidated by the idea of being hospitalized.
She then kickstarted the Speediatrics Children’s Fund to help generate financial assistance for the needy on a national level. These are but the slightest fractions of the great work she carried out throughout her life. Betty Jane France passed away in 2016 and left the NASCAR world with an unfillable void.
The words of her daughter in the aftermath of the loss resonate with the thoughts of millions. She said, “She played a significant role in NASCAR’s history, leading the charge to elevate the experience of our sport for the fans who love it, and her philanthropic efforts will forever remain a part of our sport.” The many souls she helped continue carrying her legacy into the future.
The Betty Jane Humanitarian Award is given to volunteers who have improved the lives of children across the country the most. Tammy Raulerson, Judy Simmons, Carlos Washington, and Julie Wooldridge are the finalists for this year’s award. Fans can learn more about them and cast their votes on The NASCAR Foundation’s official website.
