Lesa France Kennedy:

“My father will be sorely missed, not only by our family, but by all the lives he touched over his many years in the sport,” she said in a statement. “From drivers to owners to other track operators and professionals in the racing world, Bill France served as a champion for motorsports, and his legacy is the renowned success that NASCAR and ISC have and will continue to achieve.”

Richard Childress-Richard Childress Racing:

“Bill France Jr. was not only a leader in our sport but he was also a very good friend. Not only did he teach me a lot about our sport, but he taught me numerous lessons about life. Over the last several years, NASCAR has grown to an unprecedented level of popularity. None of that would have been possible without the vision and leadership Mr. France provided. My thoughts and prayers go out to Betty Jane, Brian, Lesa and the entire France family.”

Edsel B. Ford II:

“Bill France Jr. was more than a good friend of mine. He was a legend in motor racing. NASCAR and motor racing worldwide would not have seen the growth and prosperity it has without Bill’s vision and determination. He single-handedly made it the reality it is today by understanding what the fans wanted and by creating an environment where on-track competition was king. Bill also understood and encouraged the automobile manufacturers to become a major part of the sport. I personally loved the opportunities I had to sit with him, discussing racing, business and family. He had a wonderful perspective on everything going on around him. Everyone at Ford, and [I] personally, lost a great friend today.”

Grant Lynch-Talladega Superspeedway President:

“Having had the opportunity to learn how to operate a motorsports facility under the tutelage of Bill France Jr. was certainly one of the most impactful things in my life. His work ethic, wide range of knowledge and attention to detail are things I try to apply in business, as well as everyday life. His passing is a tremendous loss to the NASCAR community, as we have lost not only our leader and a pioneer of the sport, but also our friend.”

Eddie Gossage-Texas Motor Speedway President:

“It is very sad news to hear today of the passing of Bill France Jr. During his time as head of NASCAR, the sport grew from a small, regional series into one that is a peer to Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and others. We express our sympathies to the entire France family over this loss.”

Dale Earnhardt, Jr:

“On behalf of everyone at JR Motorsports, we are deeply saddened by the loss of Mr. Bill France, and want to extend our condolences to Betty Jane, Brian, Lesa, Jim, and the entire France family. Mr. France was the backbone of our sport. He was a true friend to the Earnhardt family, and someone I always looked up to. We will do our part in continuing his legacy, racing hard, and putting on a good show for the fans. I think that’s what he would want us to do.”

Tony George-Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO:

“Bill was a great friend and business partner. He ranks near the top of the list of people I most respect. Besides his companionship, what I will miss most is his humor. His wit was sharp as a butcher’s knife. His personal dedication to building NASCAR will be his legacy, and his leadership will be long remembered. My condolences to Betty Jane, Jim and the family.”

Doug Fritz-Richmond International Raceway President:

“Words can’t describe the impact Bill France Jr. had on our sport. From the millions of NASCAR fans to those of us who make our livelihood in NASCAR, we all have Bill to thank for his vision and leadership. I knew Bill for more than 17 years, so I know he would have wanted us to get right back to work to help promote the sport he loved. We will carry on, but we’ll do so with heavy hearts. We will miss him tremendously.”

George Bodenheimer-ESPN and ABC Sports President:

“Like his father before him, Bill France Jr. was a pioneer and will be remembered for so many contributions while growing stock car racing into a national pastime during NASCAR’s modern era. We offer our condolences to his wife, Betty Jane, his children, Brian and Lesa, the rest of the family and all who mourn his loss.”

Brent Dewar-General Motors North America vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing:

“The world of racing has lost a true innovator in Bill France Jr., who made NASCAR the premier sport it is today,” Dewar said in a statement. “His vision, tenacity and friendship will be missed. He left the sport better and provided the foundation for continued growth. Chevrolet and General Motors extends its thoughts and prayers to the France family.”

Mark Martin:

“It’s a huge loss. Bill France Jr. is someone that I will never forget. I will always remember him for his strong leadership and his tremendous vision. I was around when he took over leadership from his father. There is no arguing that he carried this sport to a new level.”

A.J. Foyt:

“Bill Jr. and his dad were the backbones of NASCAR. They both knew how to promote racing and their kids are doing a great job of carrying on. But it was Bill Jr. who parlayed what his father had started to make NASCAR the household name it is today. It’s a shame that the racing world has lost a fine gentleman and personally it’s tough for me because he was a good friend of mine.”

Roger Curtis-Michigan International Speedway President:

On behalf of the staff of Michigan International Speedway, we are deeply saddened by the news of Bill France’s death. Mr. France was a great American, and truly embodied the American entrepreneurial spirit. He transformed the auto racing industry into what it is today and was a historic figure that helped build the foundation of motorsports with his knowledge of business and love for auto racing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Betty Jane, the rest of his family and the entire racing community as they deal with the loss of such a great man and leader.

Dean Kessel-Director of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series marketing for Sprint Nextel:

“It is with the passing of one of NASCAR’s greatest icons that Sprint Nextel joins millions of fans in grieving today. Bill France Jr. orchestrated the transformation and fostered the growth of NASCAR to the heights it enjoys within the world of sports. He did so with passion and an uncanny business sense that put the interest of fans as utmost importance. That will forever be his legacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Betty Jane, Brian, Lesa and the entire France and NASCAR families.”

Dan Davis - Director, Ford Racing Technology:

“Everyone involved in the Ford Racing program is thinking of the France family and wishing them the best at this very difficult time. There’s no way to put into words how much Bill France Jr. meant to NASCAR and auto racing in general, because if it wasn’t for him, this sport obviously wouldn’t be where it is today. He wanted to take NASCAR from a regional sport to something that is followed worldwide, and with great determination, he made that vision come true. Every sport needs a strong leader at the top in order to be successful and no organization had a man that stood taller these last four decades than Bill France Jr. We will truly miss him.”

NBC Universal Sports & Olympics Chairman Dick Ebersol:

“As the brilliant intellect and blinding force behind NASCAR’s incredible growth, Bill France Jr. earned his reputation as one of the true giants in the history of American professional sports. He will live forever in my mind as one of the most impressive men I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. Our hearts and prayers are with Betty Jane, Brian and Lesa.”

Kansas Speedway President Jeff Boerger:

“We are deeply saddened to learn of today’s passing of Bill France. Mr. France and Lesa Kennedy had the vision to expand NASCAR to the Midwest and build Kansas Speedway, which has is one of the top tracks on the NASCAR circuit. This has been an extremely difficult year for the NASCAR family which has also lost Benny Parsons and Bobby Hamilton. The staff at Kansas Speedway and I join the rest of NASCAR nation in mourning Mr. France’s passing.”

Rick Hendrick-Hendrick Motorsports:

“I’ve never seen anyone who could strike the balance that Bill did. He knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish and rarely compromised, yet always made it a point to be fair. We’ve lost a strong leader, a visionary businessman and a truly amazing person. Bill was one of the toughest guys I’ve ever met, but he had a soft side, too. Words cannot express how much his friendship and support meant to me and my family during the most difficult of times. We shared a love for the ocean — fishing and telling stories — and it’s those moments that I’ll cherish forever.”

Sterling Marlin:

“It’s a sad day, the sport of auto racing has lost a giant. Bill France Jr. was without a doubt the person responsible for bringing NASCAR to a major league level. I always enjoyed his company. I will miss him as will the entire motorsports community.”

Teresa Earnhardt-DEI:

“With the passing of Bill France Jr. we have lost one of the greatest corporate leaders of our time. His contributions to the competitors, sponsors and millions and fans that follow the sport are beyond compare. Everyone at DEI will be forever grateful to Bill for giving us the opportunity to compete and build businesses that provide entertainment to millions and a livelihood to all of the people employed in some capacity by this sport. He led with an unselfish approach and we have all benefited from his wisdom.”

Joe Nemechek:

“Mr. France will go down as one of the outstanding executives in all of the major sports. He was not only a visionary, but a compassionate competitor about NASCAR. He worked hard to achieve his visions, and all of us in the sport have greatly benefited from his leadership. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the France family.”

Dale Jarrett:

“We are deeply saddened by Bill France’s passing. When you look at the sport of NASCAR racing and think about the people that have truly made a difference Bill France comes to mind first. He, along with his dad, had a vision of what it would take to make this sport the most popular form of auto racing in the United States and even the world – against many odds a lot of times. Even though Bill had not been directly involved in the day-to-day operations for quite a while, and he felt comfortable with what he had put in place for that to happen, he was still a voice to be heard for Lesa and Brian and everyone within the NASCAR community and he will be deeply missed.”