Watching 43 cars roar bumper-to-bumper through 268 laps was just part – and arguably not the most productive part – of Brian France’s day at the finale of Nascar’s Nextel Cup championship in Miami last weekend.

As Nascar’s chairman and chief executive, Mr France also found time to hobnob with Alan Mulally, chief executive of Ford Motor, which sponsored the race, and George Bodenheimer, head of ABC Sports and ESPN, two TV networks that will start broadcasting Nascar events next year.