CURTIS FRANCOIS

Auto Racing

Occupation: Owner
Born: July 25, 1964; St. Louis, Missouri
Owns: World Wide Technology Raceway

By Steve Porter

Curtis Francois had a vision to turn World Wide Technology Raceway into one of the finest facilities in the country. He made it his mission. Mission accomplished.

WWTR in Madison, Ill., serves as one of the most premier racing spots in the nation and perhaps the crown jewel of Southwestern Illinois sports competition. It’s a required destination for ardent racing fans. So it’s no wonder Francois, 59, a lifelong St. Louisan, is being enshrined into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. The real estate developer and former race car driver, Francois has made his dream come true.

It didn’t come easy. Francois shed plenty of blood, sweat and tears in toiling to make WWTR a driver-friendly venue and fan favorite. When he purchased and reopened the track in 2012, Francois literally had to start from scratch. He rolled up his sleeves and went to work on an ambitious renovation project. The original drag strip, constructed in 1967, resembled a snarled swamp.  “The weeds were six to eight feet tall,” he recalled in an interview. “The first thing I had to do was to figure out how to drive across the parking lot.”

So Francois invested heavily into refurbishing and revitalization. More than a decade later, WWTR is the only venue in the U.S. to host the elite series from each of the three major race sanctioning bodies such as NASCAR, INDYCAR, and NHRA, plus more than 300 additional events per year. WWRT secured the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021.

He was in the right place at the right time and the right guy for the monumental task. “My background was in real estate and I also had some experience with racing,” Francois said in an interview. “I’ve been to a lot of tracks and been behind the wheel. There really wasn’t anyone else around St. Louis that had that skill set. It wasn’t something I took lightly.”

Francois is committed to community engagement as a cornerstone of the WWTR mission. The track has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Community Center. The partnership with JJK focuses on STEM curriculum and has included visits to the center by guest speakers, race cars, and many interactive activities.

His dedication to making racing more diverse is shared with naming rights sponsor World Wide Technology and Founder and Chairman Dave Steward. They work to develop STEM initiatives, technological enhancements for fan experience, and community outreach and diversity. Francois said, “I’m always singing the praises of St. Louis, and I have a deep commitment to St. Louis and truly recognize what a gem we have in this speedway.”

He received the Comcast Community Champion Award and the Missouri Athletic Club Jack Buck Award in 2021. He has also earned the 2018 Innovator Award from Explore St. Louis in recognition of his work in restoring the raceway to prominence. In 2020, WWTR was the recipient of NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” Award, which showcased its commitment to opening the world of motorsports to everyone, regardless of race.