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France pleased with early portion of season

What Patrick has done for NASCAR among things that please chairman and CEO
By Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM
May 19, 2012 8:03 PM, EDT

http://www.nascar.com/news/120519/bfrance-state-of-nascar/index.html

CONCORD, N.C. — Brian France, chairman and CEO of NASCAR, said Saturday that he is pleased with the direction the 2012 season has taken.

“It’s been a good, solid year,” France said prior to the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

France touched on several subjects, including the early portion of Danica Patrick’s first full-time season as a driver in the Nationwide Series.

“She’s brought visibility to the sport, which we knew she would,” France said. “More importantly, she’s made improvements. That was her stated goal, and she’s been getting better and better. I think her runs reflect that, and that’ll be what determines her impact in the end — how well she competes.”

Speaking of the Nationwide Series and new drivers who are making an impact, France touched on Sunday’s debut of African-American driver Darrell Wallace Jr. at Iowa Speedway.

“It’s big if he competes well,” France said. “He’s someone with some of the most promising talent who is an African-American who has come through our diversity program. He has been dominant in the K&N Series, which is very competitive where a lot of the talented sons of some of the best competitors here in the garage compete. He’s winning [in that series], and we’ll see how it goes with him in the Nationwide race here this weekend.

“But look, that’s a breakthrough if that materializes. And if not with him, somebody’s going to walk in the door and be a star — and it’s going to be very good for us.”

France added that he’s not surprised it has taken so long for someone like Wallace to rise through the racing ranks after participating in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program.
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