Betty Jane France (née Zachary) was born on 15 April 1938 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA, to Marler Nick and Martha Jane Zachary. She was best known as an executive vice president and Assistant Treasurer of NASCAR, Inc, and a Chairperson of the NASCAR Foundation. She also helped in establishment of several hospitals and health organizations. Beety Jane passed away in 2016.
So just how rich was Betty Jane France? Authoritative sources estimate that France’s net worth was as high as $300 million, accumulated from her career in the previously mentioned fields which began in the 1960s.
Betty Jane France Net Worth $300 million
Betty’s husband was an American motorsports executive and the CEO of The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Besides working in the company, Betty was widely known for her humanitarian work. She helped in the establishment of Speediatrics, a children care unit at Halifax Health. As of today, Speediatrics provides medical treatment for more than 50,000 children, at their two facilities. France went on to found a similar unit at Homestead Hospital, in Florida. Her fundraisers helped for other charity causes as well. In addition to that, she was a community leader in Daytona Beach, where she organized several humanitarian events. Betty arranged Volusia/Flagler chapter of the American Red Cross. Her efforts were rewarded with the Halifax Medical Center Foundation’s Humanitarian Award in 2003. France is widely known for helping the organizations focused on women, infants and families.
She was the chairwoman of the NASCAR Foundation, established in 2004. The previously mentioned Daytona Beach based foundation is dedicated to improving lives of children in need. However, her husband died in 2007 and her children took on NASCAR alongside her. Her daughter Lesa became the CEO of International Speedway Corporation and her son Brian the Chairman and CEO of NASCAR.
Betty’s foundation holds an annual inaugural Honor Gala in New York. The gala is focused on raising money for hospitalized children in need across the country; reportedly, the latest gala event, held on 27 September 2016 raised $1.6 million. According to the authoritative sources, $25 million have been raised since 2006.
In July 2008, France was named the honorary co-chairperson for the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. The project was started by Betty’s colleague from the NASCAR foundation, Richard Childress. In 2011, the foundation started giving away the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award to outstanding volunteers who support charitable causes.
In her personal life, Betty was married to Bill France Jr. from 1957 until 2007. They met in Winston-Salem, when Betty was participating in Miss NASCAR pageant. The couple had two children.
France died on 29 August 2016. Despite Betty’s death, her foundation continues to work at a steady pace. The Betty Jane France memorial raised over $300,000 – the event was supported by more than 30 sponsors, including Coca-Cola and Molto Bella Boutique. Since mid- 2017, it has been focused on helping the victims of the recent hurricanes. The NASCAR foundation will organize Over the Edge at One Daytona in November 2017 at the International Motorsports Center. The first 200 fundraisers who donate more than $1,000 will receive special rewards.
