Thread: J.C. France--member of NASCAR's royal family--charged with DUI, cocaine possession

J.C. France, 43-year-old son of Jim France--founder of the Grand-Am series and brother of late NASCAR head Bill France Jr.--was arrested just past midnight in the early hours of Thursday morning after police stopped him following an alleged street race in Daytona Beach, Fla. J.C. France was charged with driving under the influence and possession of cocaine.


The other participant in the alleged street race, Russell Van Richmond, is France's roommate in a million-dollar mansion, and is apparently the son of an ex-wife of Jim France, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal. Van Richmond was driving a Posche Cayenne, and France was driving a green 2007 Lamborghini. Van Richmond was also charged with DUI, possession of cocaine and possession of a controlled substance, hydrocodone. The newspaper reported that Van Richmond was also charged with threatening an officer, after telling her, "I want your commander now. I am a France. Do you know what that means? We own this city." Richmond is a geologist, who runs a company from their Halifax River mansion.

France drives the Brumos Porsche-Riley in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Daytona Prototype series, and is on the entry list for Saturday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway with teammate Joao Barbosa. But NASCAR, which owns the Grand-Am series, has already suspended France indefinitely. Barbosa was seventh-fastest in practice Thursday. No word yet on who, if anyone, will replace France in Saturday's race.


Unfortunately for France, he was in line for an honor at Monday night's Grand-Am awards banquet in Miami. According to the Brumos Porsche internet site: “The team anticipates celebrating a new milestone there, as the likely win of the Jim Trueman Sportsman Award by number 59 driver J.C. France would mark the first back-to-back win of that prestigious honor.”


The Trueman Award is given to the top-finishing “gentleman driver,” who does not race full-time, though France actually does. France has been racing with the Grand-Am series since its inception, and in 2003, Homestead was the site of the first overall race win for a car from the newly instituted Grand-Am Daytona Prototype class, as France and Hurley Haywood took the Brumos Fabcar-Porsche to a victory.


David Donohue and Darren Law, in the other Brumos car, were 11th fastest in practice Thursday. That team goes into Saturday's race seventh in points, while France and Barbosa are eighth. France is eighth in driver points, with his best finish a third place at the 24 Hours of Daytona, which Donohue and Law won.


France was released from jail Thursday afternoon on $4,500 bail.

Read more: J.C. France--member of NASCAR's royal family--arrested and charged with DUI, cocaine possession: AutoWeek Magazine

$4500 Bail???

Thats like 4.5 cents to you and me!

Well it is coke in FL...it's like getting caught with pot in Seattle. If it were NC he would be hung by his balls.

This comes as a complete and total surprise to me....




Oh wait, ...it doesn't.

Actually know him... If he would have been caught here in Charlotte, the part about his family " owning" the town may have gotten him a pass..especially in NASCAR USA

Oh he will get a pass anyway! People that rich always get a pass.....

His nose looks like he's snorted a few times. haha

tisk tisk.

Thug!

Originally Posted by BuzzedHornet

Thug!

I think "Fake!" would have been my similar response.