DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) Before a new landlord shuttered the iconic Brickyard Lounge and Grill last month, you could walk into the tiny, race-themed restaurant located two miles from Daytona International Speedway , skip the menu and ask them to bring you what NASCAR chairman Jim France orders.
A 1-pound cheeseburger burger and basket of crispy fries appeared.
At 70-year-old Marios Restaurant in nearby Ormond Beach, the hostess says with first-hand knowledge that the late Bill France Sr. ordered the grouper francaise whenever the family popped in.
NASCARs founding family members are regulars at nearly every restaurant dive or upscale as well as the local shops and businesses that comprise the citys roughly 75,000 people living along 23 miles of central Floridas coastline.
The Frances are wonderful people who come in for lunch, said Annette Allan, owner of the Brickyard. They treat the employees very well and are some of our favorite customers.
Four generations have set roots in the city since France Sr. fled Washington, D.C., in the mid-1930s to escape the Great Depression. He was an aspiring racer and landed in Daytona Beach, where men like him were already running hot rods on the famed beach.
By 1940, he was considered the best stock-car driver in the country and was fed up with unsavory race promoters running chaotic events in which participants were shorted their share of the purse. He bandied a group together for a meeting at the Streamline Hotel , where they created the framework for what is now NASCAR.
The family never relinquished control and instead built NASCAR into a billion-dollar company that stands as the top motorsports series in the United States. The family also never left Daytona Beach.
It is pretty remarkable that family, multiple generations, has chosen to stay here when they could literally live anywhere in the United States, said Lori Campbell Baker, a resident since 1991 and executive director of the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
They have put Daytona Beach on the map for millions of people, and they invest in this community. That name recognition has given the city several Super Bowls without ever having to bid on them. Daytona Beach is known as a place to compete, and we could never have afforded, never had the budget, that the advertising the France family and the speedway gives us for free.
France Sr. began construction in 1957 for Daytona International Speedway, where a 78th season of NASCAR begins Sunday with the Daytona 500 , and the facility anchors the city. It already has held one world-class event this year, last months Rolex 24 at Daytona, the most prestigious endurance race in North America.
The track is open nearly daily for various racing events, and the grounds are used for everything from 5K runs to Welcome to Rockville, a four-day music festival that recently signed a 10-year extension with the track.
But the speedways impact is felt throughout the city, where the civic center has a robust calendar of conventions, expos and competitions. At the same time as the Rolex last month, thousands of cheerleaders flocked to the city for an annual competition. Gymnastics champions are crowned in Daytona, volleyball tournaments and archery competitions are won, and even the Florida Truck Driving Championship is held.
Instead of saying, Were going to compete for the championship, people say, Were going to Daytona Beach, Campbell Baker said. We get so many ancillary events because people think, If Daytona Beach is the big place, we need to compete there, too.
One of the most important France contributions to the city has been One Daytona , a 300,000-square-foot mixed-use lifestyle and entertainment center directly across from the speedway. It was the vision of Lesa France Kennedy, executive vice chair of NASCAR and France Sr.'s granddaughter.
Opened in late 2017 and developed by a France-owned company, it is a year-round dining, shopping and entertainment destination that complements the World Center of Racing.
Without the facility, Daytona Beach has no Costco, no Bass Pro Shops, no P.F. Changs or the race-themed high-end hotel that is part of Marriotts Autograph Collection. Gallery500, an art gallery in the complex, is owned by France Kennedy and some of her own creations line the walls.
My sister really has a developer mindset and a process to bringing people together. She has a lot of passion and vision, and she drives these projects and doesnt really get enough credit for that, said Brian France, who spent 15 years as NASCAR chairman. Our family isnt looking for credit, but they recognize that from a support standpoint, a municipality and a local government, in every market, has to come together to make events as successful as possible.
France Kennedy hosted the Art of Speed , a luxury car show and art event that benefits the NASCAR Foundation , the night before the Rolex last month. As she walked The Associated Press around the grounds, people stopped her to say hello, told her how much they enjoyed the event and asked about her family.
She got a hug from a restaurant owner who told her shed just missed her husband by mere minutes. France Kennedy then took the AP to the space next door to Tianos Cucina Italiana and explained how the owner was building it into a market as an extension of the eatery.
Why was One Daytona so important to France Kennedy?
We now have this fabulous entertainment facility directly across from the track that our fans can enjoy, she told the AP. Plus, I like fun things to do, too.
Art of Speed last month set a record by raising more than $50,000 that goes to the NASCAR Foundation, a childrens needs-focused nonprofit that has donated more than $50 million to various causes over the last 20 years.
The family also runs the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award in honor of Bill France Jr.'s late wife, and that award gives annual grants to organizations across the country that support childrens causes.
The Frances have a tower named for them at Halifax Health Center near the speedway and created Speediatrics , a pediatric emergency department that is NASCAR themed.
Theres also a large commitment from the France family to arts and culture in Daytona Beach as a significant donor to the Museum of Arts and Sciences, where the CiCi and Hyatt Brown Museum hosts the largest collection of Florida-based art in the world.
France Kennedy also was instrumental in bringing the Boston Pops and other renowned artists to the Daytona Beach Peabody Auditorium.
Why did they stay in Daytona Beach?
For France Kennedy, it is simple: She grew up on the water and returning to Daytona Beach after graduating from Duke to join the family business was an idea planted in her by her late grandmother, Annie B.
She enjoys leaving her office across from the speedway, being home in 10 minutes, changing into comfy clothes and taking in her water view. Her son, Ben Kennedy, returned to Daytona Beach after graduating from Florida. Now 34 and married, he has chosen the city as his home as he climbs the ranks toward someday taking over NASCAR.
Jim France lives along the Halifax River, his three children remain local and the family quietly blends in with everyone from the longtime residents to the snowbirds. If you dont know them, you would have no idea you are seated next to a billionaire at Corleones Famous New York Pizza and Gyros.
They remain committed to the area, and if possible, many in NASCARs top leadership would get the Brickyard Lounge moved into One Daytona to retain access to their beloved cheeseburgers. They remain abreast of the ongoing renovations at Billys Tap Room, another racing-themed area institution that has been shuttered for nearly two years, and do their best to bring Florida-based businesses into One Daytona.
I think its home. Why does Warren Buffett live in Omaha, Nebraska? Brian France said. Daytona Beach is our home and, of course, we happen to have the biggest event, the Daytona 500, in our hometown. Its a community that our family remains committed to and rather quite passionate about.
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AP auto racing:
美联社佛罗里达州代托纳比奇电——在上个月新业主关闭标志性的砖场酒廊烧烤店之前，你可以走进这家距离代托纳国际赛道两英里的小型赛车主题餐厅，不用看菜单，直接点纳斯卡主席吉姆·弗朗斯（Jim France）常点的菜品。
一份1磅重的芝士汉堡和一篮酥脆的薯条出现了。
在奥蒙德海滩附近有70年历史的马里奥餐厅，女服务员根据亲身经历表示，已故的老比尔·弗朗斯每次和家人光顾时都会点法式石斑鱼。
NASCAR创始家族的成员们是佛罗里达州中部海岸线沿线23英里范围内几乎所有餐厅——无论是平价小馆还是高档餐厅——以及当地商铺的常客，这座约有7.5万人口的城市因他们而生机勃勃。
“弗朗西斯一家是很棒的客人，经常来店里用午餐，”砖厂餐厅老板安妮特·阿伦说道，“他们对待员工非常友善，是我们最喜爱的顾客之一。”
自老弗朗斯（France Sr.）于20世纪30年代中期为逃离大萧条离开华盛顿特区以来，这个家族已有四代人在此城扎根。他曾是怀揣赛车梦想的追风者，最终落脚代托纳比奇——彼时像他这样的热血青年们，早已在这片著名海滩上驾驶改装赛车疾驰。
到1940年时，他已被公认为全美最优秀的改装赛车手，但对那些操纵混乱赛事、克扣车手奖金的卑劣赛事推广者深感厌倦。为此，他在流线酒店召集了一批志同道合者举行会议，共同创立了如今闻名遐迩的NASCAR赛事框架体系。
这个家族始终未曾放弃控制权，反而将NASCAR打造成价值数十亿美元的顶尖赛车赛事品牌，稳居美国赛车运动榜首。他们至今仍扎根于代托纳比奇。
“这个家族几代人选择留在这里，而他们本可以在美国任何地方生活，这非常了不起，”洛丽·坎贝尔·贝克说道。她自1991年起便居住于此，现任代托纳比奇地区会议与旅游局执行董事。
他们让代托纳海滩为数百万人所熟知，并持续投资于这座城市。这种知名度让该市无需竞标就多次获得超级碗主办权。代托纳海滩以竞技胜地闻名，而弗朗斯家族和赛道为我们提供的免费宣传，其价值远超我们所能负担的预算。
老弗朗斯于1957年开始建造代托纳国际赛道，第78届NASCAR赛季将于本周日以代托纳500大赛在此拉开帷幕，该设施已成为这座城市的标志性建筑。今年这里已举办过一场世界级赛事——上个月的"劳力士24小时耐力赛"，这是北美最负盛名的耐力赛。
这条赛道几乎每天都会举办各类赛车赛事，场地用途广泛，从5公里跑步活动到为期四天的“欢迎来到洛克维尔”音乐节不一而足。该音乐节近期还与赛道签署了为期十年的延期协议。
然而，这座赛车场的影响力遍及整座城市——市民中心常年排满各类会议、展览和赛事。就在上个月举办劳力士赛事期间，数千名啦啦队员也涌入该市参加年度比赛。代托纳不仅诞生过体操冠军，还举办过排球联赛、射箭比赛，甚至佛罗里达卡车驾驶锦标赛也在此举行。
坎贝尔·贝克说：“人们不再说‘我们要去争夺冠军’，而是说‘我们要去代托纳海滩’。我们因此获得了许多周边活动，因为人们认为‘如果代托纳海滩是个重要地方，我们也需要去那里一较高下。’”
法国家族对该市最重要的贡献之一是"One Daytona"项目——这座占地30万平方英尺（约2.8万平方米）的综合型生活娱乐中心正对赛车场而建。这个构想出自纳斯卡赛车协会执行副主席、老弗朗斯的孙女莱萨·弗朗斯·肯尼迪之手。
该项目由一家法国公司开发，于2017年底开业，是一个全年无休的餐饮、购物和娱乐胜地，与“世界赛车中心”相得益彰。
若没有这座设施，代托纳海滩就不会有开市客（Costco）、巴斯普罗商店（Bass Pro Shops）、华馆餐厅（P.F. Chang's），也不会有万豪旗下傲途格精选系列（Autograph Collection）的赛车主题高端酒店。综合体内的Gallery500艺术画廊由弗朗斯·肯尼迪（France Kennedy）所有，墙上陈列着她的部分原创作品。
布莱恩·弗朗斯（Brian France）曾担任纳斯卡（NASCAR）主席长达15年，他表示：“我妹妹确实具备开发者的思维方式，并有一套凝聚人心的流程。她充满热情与远见，推动着这些项目的发展，却未得到应有的认可。我们家族并不追求赞誉，但他们明白，从支持的角度来看，每个市场的市政当局和地方政府必须通力合作，才能确保活动取得最大成功。”
上个月劳力士赛事前夕，弗朗斯·肯尼迪（France Kennedy）主持了"速度艺术"活动——一场为纳斯卡基金会筹款的豪车展与艺术盛事。当她带领美联社记者参观场地时，人们纷纷驻足问候，表达对活动的喜爱，并询问她的家庭近况。
一位餐厅老板拥抱了她，并告诉她只差几分钟就能见到丈夫。随后，弗朗丝·肯尼迪（France Kennedy）带着美联社记者来到蒂亚诺意大利餐厅（Tiano’s Cucina Italiana）隔壁的空地，解释店主如何将这里改造成市场，作为餐厅的延伸部分。
为何戴托纳一号对弗朗斯·肯尼迪如此重要？
她向美联社表示：“我们现在在赛道正对面建成了这座极佳的娱乐设施，粉丝们可以尽情享受。而且，我自己也喜欢找点乐子。”
上个月，“极速艺术”活动创下纪录，为纳斯卡基金会筹集了超过5万美元。该基金会是一家专注于儿童需求的非营利组织，过去20年间已向各类事业捐赠逾5000万美元。
该家族还设立了贝蒂·简·弗朗斯人道主义奖（Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award），以纪念小比尔·弗朗斯（Bill France Jr.）已故的妻子。该奖项每年向全美支持儿童事业的机构提供资助。
弗朗西斯夫妇在赛道附近的哈利法克斯医疗中心拥有一座以他们名字命名的塔楼，并创建了以纳斯卡赛车为主题的儿科急诊科室“极速儿科”（Speediatrics）。
作为戴通纳海滩艺术与科学博物馆的重要捐助者，弗朗斯家族对当地文化艺术事业做出了巨大贡献。该博物馆旗下的茜茜与凯悦·布朗博物馆收藏了世界上规模最大的佛罗里达本土艺术藏品。
弗朗斯·肯尼迪（France Kennedy）在促成波士顿大众管弦乐团（Boston Pops）及其他知名艺术家赴代托纳比奇皮博迪礼堂（Daytona Beach Peabody Auditorium）演出方面发挥了关键作用。
他们为何选择留在代托纳比奇？
对弗朗丝·肯尼迪（France Kennedy）而言，这一切很简单：她在水边长大，从杜克大学毕业后回到代托纳海滩（Daytona Beach）接手家族生意，这个想法是她已故的祖母安妮·B（Annie B）在她心中埋下的种子。
她喜欢离开赛车场对面的办公室，十分钟内到家，换上舒适的衣服，欣赏窗外的水景。她的儿子本·肯尼迪（Ben Kennedy）从佛罗里达州毕业后回到了代托纳比奇。如今34岁的他已婚，并将这座城市选为安家之地，同时一步步晋升，有朝一日有望接管纳斯卡赛车（NASCAR）。
吉姆·弗朗斯（Jim France）居住在哈利法克斯河畔，他的三个孩子也留在当地生活。这家人低调地与周围人打成一片，无论是老居民还是季节性游客。若是不认识他们，你根本不会想到在科莱昂著名纽约披萨卷饼店里，坐在身旁的竟是一位亿万富翁。
他们仍致力于该地区的发展，如果可能的话，纳斯卡（NASCAR）的许多高层领导希望将Brickyard Lounge迁至One Daytona，以便继续享用他们钟爱的芝士汉堡。他们密切关注着比利小馆（Billy’s Tap Room）的持续翻新工程——这家以赛车为主题的地区标志性场所已关闭近两年，并竭力将佛罗里达州本土企业引入One Daytona。
“我认为这就是家的意义。沃伦·巴菲特为什么住在内布拉斯加州的奥马哈？”布莱恩·弗朗斯说道，“代托纳海滩是我们的家，当然，我们很幸运能在故乡举办最盛大的赛事——代托纳500。这是一个我们家族始终倾力投入并满怀热忱的社区。”
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