NASCAR's ever-present iron fist rears its ugly head amid latest charter drama

NASCAR has always been a family sport, but the family that runs it has always had a particular way of doing things. 

You'd be hard-pressed to find another sports executive who adhered to "my way or the highway," like NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., who took extreme measures to ensure his sport came out on top in whatever battle it was waging. 

History rightfully recognizes France as the man who took stock-car racing from amateur leagues to the national stage, but that doesn't mean Big Bill should be lauded as a perfect folk hero. 

NASCAR's latest charter negotiations make it fun to imagine what some of the sport's pioneers would say about the situation — specifically, NASCAR's decisions — if they were still with us. 

France ruled his infant sport with a largely unchecked iron fist as president. In 1950, Lee Petty had all his championship points stripped midseason after he ran races that NASCAR didn't sanction. Curtis Turner and Tim Flock were both banned from the sport entirely in 1961 for the crime of trying to organize a drivers' union, though Turner's superstardom held enough weight for France to lift his ban in 1965. 

Unions would once more be the topic at the Alabama International Motor Speedway — known today as Talladega Superspeedway — in September 1969. The newly christened Professional Drivers Association (PDA) was a point of contention for France, whose contempt for unions was already well-documented. 

As drivers tried to get NASCAR to postpone Talladega's debut race due to safety concerns, France's iron fist didn't waiver. The story ended with many PDA drivers — led by Richard Petty — refusing to compete in the inaugural Talladega 500 and, reportedly, a mark left by a punch from driver LeeRoy Yarbrough. 

France stepped down as president in 1972, and his son, Bill Jr., succeeded him. 

As the years have passed, Brian France and Jim France — Bill Jr.'s son and brother, respectively — have assumed executive roles in the sport, but Saturday was the first time in years that the sanctioning body's iron fist seemed to be brought down. 

According to the Associated Press, NASCAR teams felt "threatened and coerced" into signing the new charter agreement, which runs from 2025 through 2031. Only 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign the deal, with 23XI saying in a statement that "it did not have an opportunity to fairly bargain" for the new deal. 

NASCAR's iron fist may have been easy to keep discreet during France Sr.'s reign when the sport was mostly regional. However, team owners' comments won't be kept quiet in the era of social media and more media personnel being on the track than ever.