Everything NASCAR has today — sold-out races from coast to coast, a full television schedule, major corporate sponsorship and multimillion dollar salaries for its stars — can be credited to Bill France Jr.

France spent 31 years at the helm of his family business, shrewdly taking NASCAR from a backwoods, regional sport into mainstream America. He did it under the premise that no single person was bigger than the sport, a belief that will be practiced long after his death.

Diagnosed with cancer in 1999, France had been in poor health for much of the last decade. He died Monday at his Daytona Beach, Fla., home. He was 74.

"He's the one probably most responsible for the state of our sport today," said Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR's most popular driver. "We will do our part in continuing his legacy — racing hard, and putting on a good show for the fans.

"I think that's what he would want us to do."

It was always about the show for France, who learned the business from the inside-out while rising through NASCAR's ranks. His decisions weren't always popular, and they often rankled competitors.

But with a sharp tongue and an iron fist, France never wavered in his rulings.

"I've never seen anyone who could strike the balance that Bill did. He knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish and rarely compromised, yet always made it a point to be fair," team owner Rick Hendrick said.