J.C. France Arrest Ends Grand-Am Driving Career

Saturday, October 10th, 2009 @ 1:15 pm | We Think

“France has been with the No. 59 Brumos Porsche since the inception of the Daytona Prototype class in 2003. He was the first overall winner in the history of the class, joining Hurley Haywood in the No. 59 Fabcar for back-to-back victories at Homestead and Phoenix in 2003. He has co-driven the No. 59 Riley for the past two seasons with Joao Barbosa. His best finish since then was third in the 2009 Rolex 24, joined by Haywood, Barbosa and Terry Borcheller. A veteran of three different types of motorcycle racing – flat track, road racing and motocross – France drove in the KONI Challenge in 2002 before joining the Rolex Series.

France and Barbosa are currently eighth in the Daytona Prototype standings, only two points out of sixth. The 2008 winner of the Jim Trueman Award, France holds a 202-point lead over Rob Finlay as he bids to become the first two-time winner of Grand-Am’s ‘Gentleman Driver’ award.”~ from news item August 2009.

The recent arrest and subsequent charges surrounding the adolescent episode of 44 year-old Jamison C. (Jamie) France, grandson of NASCAR founder,the late Bill France Sr., son of Jim France, founder of the Grand-Am circuit and cousin to Brian France, NASCAR CEO and chairman; reminds us of a scheme that might have been concocted by two characters from the Will Ferrell, John C. Riley film called “Step Brothers”. It’s the 21st Century version of “Dumb and Dumber” starring middle-aged men.

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The film comedy is the story of Brennan Huff and Dale Dobeck two middle aged, very spoiled guys, who become competitive step brothers when their formerly single parents marry. We had no idea, in addition to being local ce-lout-brities big deals, a Hollywood film had been made about France and his step brother.

Jamison C. (J.C.) or Jamie France and his step brother, Russell Van Richmond real-life stepbros_j-c-france-richmond were racing around the streets of Daytona Beach, Florida early Thursday morning in their expensive sports cars. Both were charged with DUI, speeding and possession of illegal substances.

This story is so bizarre it caused the staff of YouThinkWhat to speculate along with our leader Henry T. Gandolph as to why a rich guy, who owns the Grand-Am car, a Brumos Porsche, he and the team drove to win at least one victory this racing season; with one more race left, would choose to self sabotage a racing career. What would cause him to make the boneheaded decision to race on the Seabreeze Bridge in Daytona Beach, Florida after a night of partying?

Everyone knows, even tourists, the Daytona Beach Police are very vigilant for drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs late at night or early morning coming across the bridge to the mainland at a high rate of speed, especially in the days leading up to what amounts to a local racing enthusiast biker “holiday” week of events.

In this part of Florida October means BIKE-tober Fest. It’s the time of year when bikers from everywhere come to Daytona to party. The City Of Daytona calls in law enforcement officers from all over the state just to keep the local residents and the visitors safe during this time.

Considering all the extreme safety consciousness of the authorities and the Daytona Beach, Florida community why would a member of the town’s allegedly premier family flaunt such reckless behavior?

We’ve kicked this around and come up with what we believe is a plausible answer. Using the perspective of the screen characters, Brennan Huff and Dale Dobeck, mentioned at the beginning of this article. If you’ve seen the film you’ll understand the irrational logic we’re using to reach our unscientific, speculative conclusion.

The grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France, the son of Grand-Am founder Jim France; and cousin of Brian France chairman and CEO of NASCAR, is not comfortable being a driver on the Grand-Am circuit. The family has given him this spot in the family business in order to keep it all in the family.

He buys a car. They let him drive and let him think he’s captain of the team. He’s a co-driver with a guy who has trained and really knows and loves his job. We believe at this point, six years into driving and traveling the circuit, France is itching to get back to his decadent lifestyle. The cynosure to the Daytona Beach drunks, druggies and whores was desperate to return to his life before becoming a Grand-Am racing circuit driver.

On the circuit he has to stay morally straight, clean and upright. No booze, no drugs, what a drag. Drunks and druggies are not permitted to drive the circuit. Additionally they are disparaged by Brian France CEO and chairman of NASCAR which owns the Grand-AM.

Despite the fact there is a crew, a team of mechanics, engineers, drivers and man servants who wait on him hand and foot, 25/8 who rely on him for a paycheck, France is self absorbed, self centered and conspires with his step brother to go out in a blaze of notoriety by doing some outrageous act that will get him suspended from the circuit for an undetermined amount of time, indefinite period, forever, perhaps even for life.

In the deranged mind of this infamously shameful local slug-lebrity , thug-lebrity celebrity and his wanna-be thug step brother, the plan is logical because it serves his main intention which is to get back to all that hard partying and drugging he’s been missing. There’s a lot of catching up to do in that area. The cost to him of $15K is like jukebox money; that’s the total fee for bail in this incident for him and his stepbrother. it’s the price of doing business to get out of racing. It’s way less than the cost of paying salaries in the off season or even for the last race of the season.

With no regard for those who are depending on him and only one race left the grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France, the son of Grand-Am founder Jim France; and cousin of Brian France chairman and CEO of NASCAR managed to disgrace himself, bring shame to his associates–his name is toxic to anyone who works worked for him who wishes to be hired by a reputable entity; his name is poison to the family and negative publicity for the family business Grand-Am and NASCAR . There are some who believe, as Henry T. Gandolph does, all publicity is good publicity when you are in business.

Win or lose he could have announced his departure from the circuit for less worthwhile endeavors. The mind mentally disordered by drugs often gives no consideration how his actions will affect, or disrupt the lives of others; and mostly he does not give a care.

Nonetheless this spawn of the France family has won the tri-fecta of stupid self serving decisions; he got what he wanted, screwed up several lives so he is further vilified by more people than already know him as a lout while garnering headlines around the world, the racing world that is, proving once again it doesn’t take a genius to bring the media to ones turf.

And so the grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France, the son of Grand-Am founder Jim France; and cousin of Brian France chairman and CEO of NASCAR, will, if fortunate, live to see another day.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of the story unfolds. Will the judge favor France, like the bail that was set for $4500 for France and $10K for his step brother? Or will there be disparity of treatment because France is a bigger cheese than most who come to court in Daytona Beach, Florida. Stay tuned….mean while… (see next article)