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SPORTSFriday 11 March 2016
After Trump endorsement, NASCAR leader faces the fallout
JENNA FRYER In this Feb. 29, 2016 file photo, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, right, speaks at a rally not far from Charlotte Mo-
AP Auto Racing Writer tor Speedway and the
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, headquarters of many top
(AP) — When Brian France NASCAR teams, Trump was
endorsed Donald Trump Ga. Associated Press ebullient in describing his
for U.S. president, the chair- backing from the sport.
man and chief executive the track. France’s grand- ey. There was a movement sider and a friendship with “I just had a visitor back-
of NASCAR thought of it as father, NASCAR founder going on, and I was really one of Trump’s sons, Don- stage. NASCAR endorsed
nothing more than a “rou- Bill France Sr., endorsed thrilled with the idea of the ald Trump Jr. that dates Trump, can you believe
tine endorsement.” George Wallace for presi- first African-American presi- back nearly two decades. that?” he asked the crowd.
He’s been dealing with the dent. Its all-time most suc- dent,” he said. “I did the “I’m not supporting him for Except it wasn’t NASCAR
fallout ever since. cessful driver, Richard Pet- same for Mitt Romney. In all of his views, or his immi- that made the endorse-
France’s decision to per- ty, celebrated his 200th vic- both of those cases, I have gration views,” France said. ment. It was France.
sonally back the front- tory with President Ronald never agreed with all of “I happen to be very en- “We talked to the cam-
runner for the Republican Reagan and ran for state- their policies.” amored by the excitement paign about the endorse-
nomination has roiled wide office in North Caro- But Trump is a candidate he’s brought and the voter ment that I made, versus
a sport his family built from lina in the 1990s. that strongly divides opin- turnout that it is creating.” the sport, and it’s hard to
the ground up. It’s threat- France told the AP on ions, with his policies to France’s efforts to quell get that perfectly right all
ened a decade of work Wednesday he backed restrict immigration from criticism over a “personal the time,” France said.
to broaden NASCAR’s ap- Barack Obama in 2008 and Mexico and the Muslim and private” decision have Hope Hicks, a spokeswom-
peal among minorities, up- actively participated in the world. also been complicated an for Trump’s campaign,
set one of the most power- campaign, shifting his sup- “I don’t even know all their by Trump’s continued said in a statement that
ful teams in the sport and port to Mitt Romney four policies, truthfully,” France mentioning of how he’s he spoke broadly because
risked a break with corpo- years later. said. received “NASCAR’s en- the “endorsement is from
rate sponsors. “I supported Obama. I He said he likes Trump’s dorsement.” the great Brian France, in
“I was frankly, very sur- went to his rallies. I parted “business approach”, his On Monday, at a North addition to several NAS-
prised, that my diversity ef- with my hard-earned mon- status as a Washington out- Carolina campaign rally CAR drivers.”
forts for my whole career In a company-wide email
would have been called sent last week to all his em-
into question, over this, ployees, France reiterated
in my view, a routine en- that NASCAR has never
dorsement,” France said had a policy prohibiting
Wednesday in an interview employees or competi-
with The Associated Press. tors from participating in
France acknowledged politics, but said that could
he’s had to have conver- change in the future.
sations with sponsors since He told the AP on Wednes-
making the endorsement, day he understands that
which came as NASCAR is his endorsement can be
seeking a new main spon- viewed as one that comes
sor for its top series. from NASCAR itself.
“I made a few phone calls “I understand that the
and clarified some things,” family is closely linked with
he said. “That kind of goes NASCAR. ... We’ve just al-
with the territory.” ways, you’ve seen politi-
France’s appearance at cians come to tracks, and
a Trump rally last week it varies, some Democrats,
fits with the sport’s history some are Republicans, all
of occasionally blending have policies we do and
politics with the action at don’t agree with,” he said.
Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni wins
stage 4 of Paris-Nice race
Cofidis’ Nacer Bouhanni of France celebrates as he crosses the ROMANS-SUR-ISERE, France “This time there’s no con- at the foot of the Vercors
finish line to win the fourth stage of the Paris Nice cycling race (AP) — French rider Nacer troversy, I won,” Bouhanni mountain range in the Alps
between Julienas and Romans sur Isere, central France, Thurs- Bouhanni outpaced his ri- said. “Of course I was a of southeastern France.
day, March 10, 2016. vals in a sprint finish to win bit revengeful, what hap- Matthews leads Tom Du-
the fourth stage of the Par- pened in Tuesday’s sprint moulin of the Netherlands
Associated Press is-Nice race on Thursday, upset me, and I slept badly by 14 seconds overall, with
while Australian Michael that night. It consumed Patrick Bevin of New Zea-
Matthews retained the a lot of my energy and I land 19 seconds back in
overall lead. wanted this win to forget all third place.
Matthews beat Bouhanni of that.” The standings are set for a
in controversial circum- Bouhanni held off Belgian shakeup on Friday, when
stances on Tuesday’s sec- rider Edward Theuns and Stage 5 takes the pelo-
ond stage when Bouhanni Andre Greipel of Germany ton up the famed Mont
was penalized for deviat- to win the 195.5-kilome- Ventoux, one of the most
ing from his line in the final ter (121-mile) trek from Ju- feared climbs on the Tour
sprint. lienas to Romans-sur-Isere de France.
