DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Could NASCAR be up for sale? The France family who holds the majority of NASCAR stock is thinking about it, according to a Reuters report.
NASCAR President Brent Dewar told employees the France family "remains dedicated to the long-term growth of our sport."
According to The Associated Press, the memo was sent to employees on Tuesday one day after a media report said the France family was exploring the sale of its stake in the nation's top auto racing series with investment bank Goldman Sachs.
Dewar wrote in the memo that NASCAR does not comment on "industry rumors" and did not specifically want to address a possible deal by the France family.
NASCAR has struggled with recent ratings and attendance declines and several big-name sponsors have scaled back or pulled out.
NASCAR fans who visited Daytona International Speedway and the Motorsports Museum on Tuesday had mixed reactions to the possible sale.
"There's a lot of history here with the France family," said David Vanie, a race fan. "They're the ones who commercialized racing."
The report cited an aging fan base and stricter safety rules that could be responsible for the family's interest in exploring other options.
"It was always about commercialization and making money," Vanie said.
"I don't know what will happen when they do, because it might go downhill," another race fan, Doug Foremaster, said.
A NASCAR spokesperson declined to comment to News 6 for this story.
Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry said NASCAR is one of the most valuable and viable businesses in the history of Volusia County and the county will support the family, no matter their decision.
"You can't overstate what they mean to us as a community and, obviously, they are the founders of a sport. Whatever direction they go in, I would expect no less than them to continue to be the great community leaders that they've always been," Henry said. "They've helped transform our community into one of the greatest destinations in the entire world."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.