JC FRANCE RETURNS TO GRAND-AM

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – J.C. France is expected to officially return to Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series racing action at the June 6 Sahlen’s 6 Hours of The Glen.

“I’ll do a couple of HSR races before then to get back into the groove,” France said, adding that he’s already  participated in a couple of closed tests and likely will get in some practice time – but not race – prior to Saturday’s Grand-Am Rolex Series Bosch Engineering 250 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.

France was reinstated this week after following a strict rehabilitation program implemented and monitored by internationally recognized forensic toxicologist Dr. David L. Black, of Knoxville-based Aegis Sciences, who’s not only worked with NASCAR but Major League Baseball, World Wrestling Entertainment and other notable companies on drug-related testing and treatment programs.

On the eve of the series’ Oct. 9-10 race weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway – where he would’ve become the first driver to win a first-ever back-to-back award for that series’ best annual non-professional Daytona Prototype driver – he was was arrested, along with half-brother Russell Van Richmond, by Daytona Beach police for driving while under the influence as well as narcotics possession charges. Soon after, Grand-Am suspended the driver from further competition, abruptly ending his season and any hope of his collecting a second Jim Trueman Award (France with 2008 Trueman award, at right).

Adding salt to the wound, France two days later watched co-driver Joao Barbosa and substitute driver Hurley Haywood claim victory at the Grand Prix of Miami in what had been France’s 2009 season-long ride, the No. 59 Brumos Porsche-Riley. Ironically, it was at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2003 when France teamed with a then-active Haywood in the No. 59 Brumos Porsche-Fabcar to claim the Daytona Prototype’s first-ever overall race victory.

Though France was “thrilled” to see Barbosa, Haywood and the Brumos team win, “not being there cut me to my core,” he said.

“Being out of the car was tough, not just for that race but since then, too,” France said. “Sometimes it takes losing something to understand its importance. I was getting a little ragged and needed a good kick in the butt; I got it.”

DC