Senate Bill sb2806
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Florida Senate - 2003 (NP) SR 2806
By Senator Posey
24-2214-03
1 Senate Resolution No. ____
2 A resolution recognizing NASCAR and its
3 contribution to the history, economy, and pride
4 of the great State of Florida.
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6 WHEREAS, in 1948, William H.G. France of Daytona Beach,
7 Florida, had the vision and leadership to create the National
8 Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) to organize and
9 promote stock car racing, a sport conducted at a patchwork of
10 tracks with differing rules scattered throughout America, and
11 WHEREAS, from NASCAR's first race held on the
12 hard-packed sand of Daytona Beach on February 15, 1948, France
13 succeeded, with dogged determination, in legitimizing the
14 sport and laying the groundwork for what would later become a
15 worldwide phenomenon, and
16 WHEREAS, in 1972, Bill France, Sr., passed the reins of
17 leadership to his son, Bill France, Jr., who would place his
18 own unique brand upon NASCAR, taking it to new heights,
19 expanding its reach nationwide - and worldwide - through
20 aggressive marketing partnerships and television broadcasts
21 reaching more than 100 countries in 21 languages, and racing
22 NASCAR into the 21st century, placing it on a par with other
23 great American sports, and
24 WHEREAS, NASCAR has risen to meteoric heights of
25 popularity, envied by other sports, with more than 75 million
26 American race fans, from factory workers to corporate
27 executives to United States Presidents, and 13 million fans
28 attending races in the four major competitive series in a
29 single season. Stretching across the nation, NASCAR sanctions
30 12 racing series, from weekly dirt track series to the premier
31 Winston Cup Series, representing 2,200 events over 120 tracks
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Florida Senate - 2003 (NP) SR 2806
24-2214-03
1 in 40 states. A single NASCAR Winston Cup race draws a crowd
2 larger than the Super Bowl, a World Series game, and an NBA
3 Finals game, combined, and
4 WHEREAS, from its early stars, Lee Petty, "Fireball"
5 Roberts, and Tiny Lund, to the legends, Richard Petty, David
6 Pearson, Bobby Allison, and Dale Earnhardt, to today's heroes,
7 Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., NASCAR has
8 fostered brave, honorable, and exciting champions who serve as
9 role models to both young and old, and
10 WHEREAS, in a world where sports fans are let down by
11 scandals involving their heroes, NASCAR remains above the
12 fray, weaving throughout its sport the golden threads of
13 American values: competition, triumph, loyalty, devotion,
14 teamwork, courage, perseverance, and spirit, and
15 WHEREAS, NASCAR stands as the preeminent example of the
16 strength of family, from its founders, the France family, who
17 remain at the helm of the sport, to the Pettys, the Allisons,
18 the Earnhardts, the Jarretts, the Bodines, the Labontes, the
19 Hendricks, the Waltrips, the Burtons, and so many others, who
20 have devoted themselves to cultivating a true family sport,
21 and
22 WHEREAS, with worldwide appeal, world-class
23 competitions, and world-renowned champions, NASCAR remains
24 grounded in its Florida roots, bringing honor and pride to
25 this great state, NOW, THEREFORE,
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27 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
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29 That this body pauses in its deliberations to proudly
30 recognize NASCAR for its enduring contributions to the
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Florida Senate - 2003 (NP) SR 2806
24-2214-03
1 history, economy, and pride of the State of Florida and
2 recognizes April 8, 2003, as "NASCAR Day."
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