NASCAR CEO arrested on drug possession charges, DUI
By admin - 2019-01-15 03:22:53

NASCAR CEO and Chairman Brian France was arrested on Long Island, N.Y., Sunday night on charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated and criminal possession of a controlled substance, CBS Sports reported.

Police in Sag Harbor said France was pulled over around 7:30 p.m. after driving his 2017 Lexus through a stop sign. Officers then determined that France was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol and he was placed under arrest. A subsequent search of the 56-year-old’s car turned up the drug oxycodone, police said. France was reportedly released just after 9 a.m. Monday morning after being held overnight in The Hamptons.

“We are aware of an incident that occurred last night and are in the process of gathering information,” NASCAR said in a statement. “We take this as a serious matter and will issue a statement after we have all of the facts.”

France became the CEO of NASCAR in 2003, keeping control of the organization in his family for the past 70 years. France’s father, Bill Jr., previously served as chairman and his grandfather, Bill Sr., founded the governing body in 1948. His older sister, Lesa France Kennedy, is the CEO of International Speedway Corporation, which operates and manages racetracks.

France has been criticized for being an absentee CEO. Tony Stewart and Brad Keselowski have reportedly been among those drivers to call on France to be more publicly invested in NASCAR.

“If I could make one change it would be that the leader of the sport is at the race track every weekend,” Keselowski said in January.