WHAT NEXT FOR NASCAR?(Competition)

Do not expect any major changes in NASCAR now that vice chairman William (Bill) C. France has died ("Bill France Jr. Dies at 74,'' AW, June 11). France had been in declining health for several years, and his June 4 death in Daytona Beach, Florida, was not altogether unexpected. Reportedly, he was actively involved with the business until his final few weeks.

For the time being, NASCAR's management team will remain intact. His son, Brian Z. France, is chairman of the board and CEO; his daughter, Lesa France Kennedy, is vice president and assistant treasurer; his brother, Jim France, is vice chairman, executive vice president and secretary; and longtime trusted confidant Mike Helton remains as president.

The France family's enormously successful business is well positioned for the future. It has a lucrative, multinetwork TV package through 2015. The Nextel Cup series visits most of America's major markets at least once annually. The best-known and most marketable drivers-Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards-are in their 20s and 30s. Unlike its open-wheel cousins, NASCAR can boast that most of its 20 full-time Cup teams (fielding as many as 50 cars) are financially stable. And despite frequent TV ratings dips, corporate America still sees NASCAR as an attractive advertising and marketing tool.

Repeat Grand-Am Winners

Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing's Alex Gurney drove his Riley-Pontiac past Scott Pruett's Riley-Lexus with 15 laps remaining to win Grand-Am's six-hour race at Watkins Glen International. Gurney and co-driver Jon Fogarty won previously in Mexico City, making the duo the season's first two-time Daytona Prototype winners. The Grand Touring class also featured repeat winners: the Racer's Group Porsche of Andy Lally, R.J. Valentine and Spencer Pumpelly.

Gurney and teammate Fogarty dominated, leading 51 laps more than the next-best car before Gurney's final stop. Pruett, however, went a lap down after an early incident but fought back to the lead, thanks to his Chip Ganassi Racing team's pit strategy. With older tires, Pruett couldn't battle pole sitter Gurney entering turn one, and Gurney pulled away to win by seven seconds. Max Angelelli hustled SunTrust Racing's Riley-Pontiac to finish third after two restart penalties.

In Grand Touring, TRG's winning Porsche battled from 22nd on the grid to second, and Lally tailed Synergy Racing's Richard Westbrook for 12 of the final 24 laps. Lally slid by exiting the bus stop to take the team's second win in the last three races. Dirk Werner drove his Farnbacher Loles Motor-sports Porsche to second, while Westbrook lost third to Paul Edwards' Pontiac GXP.R. A race-ending crash by the SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 of Sylvain Tremblay and Nick Ham handed the points lead to Werner.