Brian & Megan France — NASCAR's Double Divorce
The NASCAR chairman married her twice and divorced her twice — and the second time, his $564 million fortune was exposed in court.
Key Facts
What Happened
Brian France, who served as chairman and CEO of NASCAR from 2003 to 2018, married Megan France of Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2001. Their first marriage lasted just three years before they divorced in 2004. In a move that divorce attorneys would caution against, they remarried in 2005 — only to divorce again in 2008.
The second divorce became a protracted legal battle. The settlement required Brian to pay a $9 million lump sum, $32,000 per month in alimony for 10 years, and $10,000 per month in child support for 10 years. While these amounts seem modest for a man worth over half a billion dollars, the real battle was over enforcement.
Unsealed court documents revealed Brian France's 2005 financial statement showing $564 million in total assets — including stock and real estate — with the expectation that he would inherit 'substantial wealth from his parents' exceeding $1 billion. Megan accused Brian of failing to make agreed-upon payments, while Brian countered that Megan had violated confidentiality and visitation terms. Each accused the other of breaching the settlement agreement.
The dispute was finally resolved in 2013, five years after the divorce. Brian France's subsequent arrest for DUI and possession of oxycodone in 2018 led to his stepping down as NASCAR chairman, adding another chapter to a turbulent personal life. The France case demonstrates how remarrying an ex-spouse rarely solves the original problems — and can create even more complex legal entanglements.
Legal Breakdown: How marrying and divorcing the same person twice creates compounding legal complications
Remarriage and Legal Reset
When a couple divorces and remarries, the second marriage creates a new legal relationship. The second divorce settlement replaced the first, and any assets acquired between the two marriages required fresh analysis.
Settlement Enforcement Disputes
Both parties accused each other of breaching the settlement — Brian for non-payment, Megan for violating confidentiality and visitation terms. This highlights the importance of clear, specific language in settlement agreements and the costs of enforcement litigation.
Unsealing Financial Records
Brian fought to keep divorce records sealed, but a judge ruled them public in 2011. The unsealed documents revealed his full financial picture, including the inheritance expectation. Courts often unseal records when there is public interest in the financial affairs of public figures.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →Remarrying an ex-spouse without resolving the underlying issues typically leads to a second, more complicated divorce.
- →Settlement agreements must have clear enforcement mechanisms — vague terms lead to years of post-divorce litigation.
- →Public figures should expect that divorce financial records may be unsealed, regardless of confidentiality requests.
- →Alimony and child support orders are only as good as the enforcement — build in penalties for non-compliance.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.