DREAM COME TRUE; J.C. France (yes, of the France family) is achieving his goals.(Competition)

Byline: LARRY EDSALL

This should make Hurley Haywood feel even older than his 55 years: When he and Peter Gregg drove to the win in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1973, beating the favored Group 5 Mirages and Matras-and everything else on the track, and by 22 laps-in the Brumos Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, one of those taking it all in was the seven-year-old grandson of Daytona International Speedway founder Bill France Sr.

And there was a lot to take in: Mirages and Matras, Porsches and Ferraris, Corvettes and Chevrons from teams such as Penske, Kremer, Joest, Shierson, Holbert and Bolus & Snopes. Then there were the drivers: Donohue, Follmer, Minter and Bell, not to mention Jarier, Hailwood, Watson, Cevert, Beltoise, Pescarolo and even NASCAR driver Tiny Lund and stunt driver Joie Chitwood and...

"I was captivated,'' J.C. France remembers.

His family was famous for its association with stock car racing, but J.C. France grew up wanting to drive in the 24-hour sports car race at his hometown track, though for 30 years it would be a dream put on hold. As part of the France family-Jim France is his father and Bill Jr. is his uncle-J.C. grew up with NASCAR, and grew up working at the Daytona track.

"I've done everything from paint bathrooms and mow the grass to work in the photography department and in accounting and operations, and then in the NASCAR marketing department,'' said the 38-year-old France.

J.C. also played high school and semipro football, and in between was a Junior Olympic weightlifter. But what he really wanted to do was race. He entered his first go-kart event when he was in the eighth grade, then raced motorcycles-flat track, enduros and motocross. "I was faster than all my friends,'' he said with a big smile. But at six-foot-two and 225 pounds, he wasn't as fast as the serious competitors.