France: NASCAR looking abroad

France has mentioned Europe, Latin America and Asia as possible future targets for the series to grow abroad, while Mexico and Canada are expected to become a fixture of the Busch Series calendar.

"Well, we've been saying that we're going to take a nice, slow, careful international view of where this sport can go," France said. "The only parameters I've laid out to our team is it has to be additive to the industry.

"So that means when we take an event to Mexico, which we already have, or Montreal, which we will, that the whole industry has an opportunity to win. That will also be the philosophy should we look at expanding outside of North America.

"That may be Europe, that may be Latin America, may be Asia. Doesn't matter where it is."

France also said he is still hopeful of staging a race in New York in the near future, despite plans for building a track in Staten Island not coming to fruition due to political opposition.

He said ISC (International Speedway Corporation), a parent company of NASCAR, of which he is a board member, has not given up on its intention to build a track in America's biggest market.

"Well, I hope so," he said. "Obviously there's been a setback in the Staten Island situation that ISC was trying to develop.

"As they told me, they certainly have not given up on the New York market. They're hard at work trying to figure out the next opportunity there.

"It's important to the sport to be in New York City for obvious reasons. I don't want to put a timeline on it. It's a very difficult project. There are a number of people working on it."