(Oct. 10, 2009) D'oh! Miami Associated press has reported that the grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France, professional race car driver J.C. France, was arrested early Thursday on drug charges in Daytona Beach, according to a public record police report.
FAMOUS NASCAR FAMILY MEMBER J.C. FRANCE ARRESTED ON SERIOUS DRUG AND TRAFFIC CHARGES IN FLORIDA
The charges France will be facing are severe: he faces charges of possession of narcotics (which in the state of Florida is quite serious) and driving under the influence.
The court records show France posted $4,500 bond and was released from Volusia County jail Thursday afternoon.
However, the story takes some interesting twists and turns, as the family member of the man who made stock car racing go international seems to rave tried to relive the family heritage and Southern culture tradition of racing, running from the police, and transporting illegal substances.
Where the origins of NASCAR style racing started with people building cars during the American prohibition era -- a time when people involved in bootleg alcohol production and distribution needed to make plain looking cars that had ample space to transport moonshine liquor and the speed to outrun and evade police while driving on curving country and mountain back roads and through rural routes that left drivers plenty of places to ditch cars if they needed to flee -- young J.C. France was not acting as bright or as noble as his predecessors from the bygone era.
The AP news report says,
France, age 43, was caught while driving a 2007 green Lamborghini when he was stopped shortly after midnight Thursday. Authorities believe he was racing his half brother, 40-year-old Russell Van Richmond. France failed to stop at a traffic light and swerved on the roadway before coming to a stop in a parking lot.
Richmond, who was driving a 2003 Porsche when he was stopped, reportedly threatened the officer during the arrest.
“No, this is a mistake for you,” he told the officer, according to the report. “I’m a France, we own this city.”
Authorities continued with the investigation, and Richmond called for their commanding officers.
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