'First Lady of NASCAR' Betty Jane France dies
Betty Jane France, the mother of NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France, died on Monday evening.
She's also the widow of former chairman Bill France Jr.
"Last night, the NASCAR family lost a mother, a grandmother, a friend and the light that guided the sport's charitable arm," said Brian France in a statement. "My mother taught us incredible values, that of love, patience, compassion, and joy.
"She embraced life every day, and nothing fueled her passion more than children. Her unmatched efforts in building The NASCAR Foundation improved the lives of millions of children throughout this country. And because of that, her legacy will live forever."
NASCAR mourns the loss of Betty Jane France: https://t.co/hxf7efi6vo pic.twitter.com/SRCBluEoUh
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 30, 2016
In 2003, France, whose age is not known publicly, was honored with the Halifax Medical Center Foundation’s Humanitarian Award. She also served on numerous boards in the Daytona Beach, Fla. area.
The NASCAR Foundation also presents The Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. It was started by NASCAR fans that help children's causes in their communities, and was named in her honor.