Jim France isn’t your typical behind-the-scenes executive. Sure, he’s the Chairman and CEO of NASCAR, but when the engines roar, he’s not just watching from the suite. He’s often out there racing. Whether it’s IMSA or local events, France has fuel in his veins and a passion for speed that rivals the best of them. While most execs stick to spreadsheets and meetings, Jim’s the kind of guy who’ll strap into a car if given half a chance.

But in the middle of the 2025 NASCAR season, that deep love for racing had garage whispers swirling louder than a pit road scanner. Because what started as a one-off request to help a driver turned into something that had teams raising eyebrows and asking questions about who’s really calling the shots.

Jeff Dickerson backed Jim France’s Sonoma entry

In a surprising turn of events, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France nearly funded a Cup Series entry at Sonoma Raceway. The plan involved Spire Motorsports fielding a car for the July 13 race, with financial backing from France and Jack Aitken, an IMSA driver for France-owned Action Express Racing, behind the wheel.

Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson clarified the situation on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, stating, “Corners of the garage were thinking that it was Jim’s team, right? And Jim was going to do it, or Jim was giving us a car. It was like somebody calls you and says, ‘Hey, this is our driver, we got a sponsor. We think he’ll be good at Sonoma. Can you do it?’ Like sure, yeah!”

Jeff Dickerson emphasized that the entry would have been entirely operated by Spire personnel, with no special treatment for France. The agreement would have been structured like any normal customer entry for the NASCAR owner. “I was not supportive of NASCAR owning charters. I mean, it still made the deal. But I wasn’t supportive of it. But I am supportive of them owning a team, if that’s good or bad. It didn’t feel like it was that big of a deal. It felt like every other thing,” he added.

Despite the intentions, the deal fell through after concerns about potential conflicts of interest arose within the NASCAR community. Comparisons were drawn to similar situations in other motorsports. For example, Roger Penske’s dual role in IndyCar has led to controversy. The Team Penske owner also owns the IndyCar Series along with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, ahead of the 2025 Indy500, Team Penske drivers, Josef Newgarden and Will Power, were caught with modified rear attenuators and sent to the back of the grid, a damning blow for Penske. This led to Roger firing three key members of his IndyCar organization: Tim Cindric, Ron Ruzewski, and Kyle Moyer. And this wasn’t even Penske’s first scandal in IndyCar.

In 2024, their drivers were caught illegally using the ‘push to pass’ system on restarts, leading to Newgarden losing his race win at St Petersburg. In 2025, IndyCar President Doug Boles admitted that they were looking for an independent governing body for the sport, saying, “We want to ensure that we have an officiating entity that has no ability for folks to say it’s got influence from Roger Penske.” Now, with the latest scandal causing mayhem, it’s only a matter of time before Penske is replaced.

Well, owning the sport and fielding a team is clearly no simple task, and ultimately, the plan was shelved, but it sparked discussions about the boundaries between NASCAR’s leadership and team operations. While some viewed it as a missed opportunity to showcase talent like Aitken, others saw it as a necessary step to maintain the integrity of the sport. As the NASCAR Cup Series continues, the incident serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between innovation and tradition in the sport.

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NASCAR’s quiet habit of getting behind the wheel

It’s not the first time NASCAR has fielded its own entry in a racing series. Just two years ago, they partnered with Hendrick Motorsports to put a Chevy ZL1 on the grid at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fans loved the idea of bringing American stock car thunder to the European endurance classic.

The Garage 56 project, spearheaded by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France, aimed to showcase the adaptability of the Next Gen car on an international stage. The specially modified Camaro ZL1, prepared by Hendrick Motorsports, featured enhancements like real headlights, a larger fuel tank, and carbon-ceramic brakes to meet the demands of the 24-hour race.

The driver lineup was equally impressive, featuring seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button, and two-time Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller. Their participation brought significant attention to the project, blending talents from different racing disciplines.

During the race, the Garage 56 Camaro ZL1 consistently posted lap times competitive with the GT class. It was running near the top of the field for over 20 hours. Despite a driveline issue that sidelined the team for more than an hour, the car completed 285 laps and finished 39th out of 62 entries.

In light of this, Jim France’s recent involvement in fielding a car at Sonoma doesn’t seem so surprising. As Jeff Dickerson noted, “Jim goes and races.” It’s clear that France’s passion for racing extends beyond administrative duties. It reflects a hands-on approach to the sport’s evolution.