Okay, so NASCAR, the stock-car racing organization, started out as a bunch of bootleggers who took to racing the vehicles they used to haul booze and stay ahead of the cops. Turns out that the racing business was a whole lot more lucrative that smuggling alcohol to a thirsty nation.
Miami-based real estate auction firm Platinum Luxury Auctions has announced the planned auction of a waterfront mansion owned by members of the France family, the founders and owners of NASCAR. Located in Daytona Beach, Florida, the sprawling waterfront estate will be sold at a live auction without reserve, meaning the highest bidder will become the new owner of the property regardless of the high bid price. The luxury auction® sale is scheduled for June 3, 2017, with bidders being able to participate in person on the property site, or remotely via telephone. The France family retained Platinum, a firm specializing in the non-distressed auction sale of multimillion-dollar homes on behalf of their wealthy owners, to exclusively manage the transaction. Platinum is also a Florida real estate corporation.
The property was built and owned by Bill France Jr. and his wife Betty Jane France. Bill Jr.’s father, Bill France Sr., founded the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing – or NASCAR – in 1948. Bill Jr.’s son, Brian France, acts as the current CEO and Chairman of NASCAR. The France family has maintained ownership of the business while growing it into a globally prominent motorsports empire.
After Bill France Jr. passed away in 2007, Betty Jane lived in the home until her passing in August of 2016. She was well known for her charitable and philanthropic endeavors, which included founding the NASCAR Foundation in 2006, a non-profit organization focused on helping children in need across the United States.
Although never previously offered for sale, the residence was appraised for $13.8 million in 2013. While this appraisal figure only represented the value of the home itself, the sale of the property will include all of its current furnishings. “The prospect of having to furnish a house like this one from scratch would be daunting, not to mention pricey. It’s a task that could easily have a seven figure price tag,” noted Trayor Lesnock, Platinum’s founder and president.
The property occupies 3.8 manicured acres with 325 feet of water frontage on the Halifax River. There is also a 150-foot boat dock able to accommodate multiple vessels, in addition to a custom pool, outdoor kitchen/bar, and various loggias and terraces offering beautiful water views.
The estate’s main residence offers more than 17,000 square feet, while a separate guesthouse adds another 1,700 square feet of living space. In total, there are 5 bedrooms, 7 full and 6 half baths.
Other property features include a grand “River Room” perfect for entertaining, a commercial-grade elevator, dual spiral staircases, a “hidden” wine cellar and tasting room, a private hair salon, gourmet kitchen, fitness center, built-in home audio system, and a fleet of 24/7 surveillance cameras.
