Bill France Jr. is expected at Homestead this weekend, after a rough summer of treatments, to make his first appearance trackside in quite a while(PitNow)(11-12-2000) UPDATE: NASCAR president Bill France Jr., who has been sidelined undergoing cancer treatments this season, made an unexpected visit to watch Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. France’s last appearance at a race was the May race at Richmond, Va., and his last public appearance at the memorial service for Adam Petty, also in May. France has made several visits to NASCAR’s office in Daytona Beach over the past several months, however. After visiting with drivers and team owners in the NASCAR hauler before the race, he watched the event from the race control tower with NASCAR officials.(That’s Racin’)(11-13-2000) UPDATE 2 – Nelson Out? NASCAR president Bill France, who has been undergoing cancer treatments all season, is expected to make an appearance in Atlanta. NASCAR teams want France to return with gusto because they have been disenchanted with many of the moves of CEO Mike Helton and technical supervisor Gary Nelson. Nelson reportedly will be replaced or reassigned during the off-season. Among other things, teams were upset over the way the deaths of Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin at New Hampshire were handled(Columbus Dispatch)(11-16-2000) UPDATE 3: Published reports have Gary Nelson, the Winston Cup Series director, leaving NASCAR after Sunday’s season-ending race. Nelson was at AMS on Thursday and said he had no intentions of leaving his current position. Nelson has been employed with NASCAR since 1991.(AJC)(11-17-2000) UPDATE 4: Despite rumors that have been flying, NASCAR officials said Saturday they have no intention of firing Winston Cup Series director Gary Nelson. What is apparently happening is a reorganization in the sanctioning bodys competition department. Nelson may soon receive a change in his job title, but he will not be fired. NASCAR is adding personnel, and some job descriptions are being shuffled, said NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter(Gaston Gazette)(11-19-2000)
