Hendrick to assist in launching minority-owned team: Sam Belnavis and Tinsley Hughes sat in a conference room at Hendrick Motorsports going through a stack of paperwork that set the groundwork to making them owners of a Winston Cup race team. Despite their familiarity with racing and their experience in business dealings, the two had always been on the outside. Belnavis and Hughes are both black men, a rarity in a sport that has long been dominated by white Southerners. Both are determined to break the barrier and succeed in fielding a full-time race team. Multi-team car owner Rick Hendrick has agreed to help the group launch BH Motorsports, a team that aspires to run a full season in 2003. Hell show the duo his blueprint for being a successful team owner and help with everything from engines and parts to sitting in on meetings with potential sponsors. Hendrick, who already fields Winston Cup teams for drivers #24-Jeff Gordon, #5-Terry Labonte, #48-Jimmie Johnson and #25-Joe Nemechek, says he’ offered his help because it’ time for NASCAR to diversify. Both men have an extensive history in racing. Belnavis, a native New Yorker, comes from the business side of racing. He was director of sports marketing when Miller Brewing Co. first signed on as a primary car sponsor in 1982 and has had a hand in the sport ever since. Hughes, raised near a Virginia race track, has spent his time trying to become a successful team owner and until recently was part of the only other black group fielding a Cup team. Hughes was co-owner with [#85] Thee Dixon of Mansion Motorsports, where they have sporadically fielded cars for Carl Long. Mansion Motorsports has struggled to make races this season Long recently moved on and Hughes opted out to work on the deal with Hendrick. “At Mansion, we were operating at zero. For us to even compete and make a race, that was considered a miracle,” Hughes said. “That’ why this alliance with Hendrick is so appealing. Maybe now were not starting at zero.” The goal is to get BH Motorsports further than any other team with an all-black front office has gone. So Hendrick is doing what he can to help. One of the conditions for his assistance is that BH Motorsports help develop a grooming system for more blacks to break into the sport, Belnavis said. As much as Belnavis and Hughes want to put a black driver behind the wheel of a Cup car, both know it’ not possible anytime soon. In NASCAR’ history, six black drivers made it to Winston Cup and none is currently on the circuit. Bill Lester, a 41-year-old racer in the Craftsman Truck series, is the only black driver currently competing on one of NASCAR’ top three levels. Willy T. Ribbs was the first black driver to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he ran in the Indy 500 in 1991. He’ tried to compete on NASCAR’ top circuits and spent last season in the truck series, finishing 16th in the final standings, but hasnt run a race this year. And George Mack, who regularly competes in the Indy Racing League, this year became just the second black driver to compete in the Indy 500. “There just arent any black drivers out there right now at this level,” Belnavis said. “That’ something Rick Hendrick wants to see changed, so it will be our goal to help develop that side of it. Maybe it will be through a truck team or a Busch team, but hopefully it will happen.” And that’ all Hendrick can ask for right now. While he hopes his assistance will help BH Motorsports meet its goal of fielding a team next season, he’ a realist and understands that’ a lofty goal that might be hard to reach. But if BH Motorsports gets a sponsor, a driver, shows up at a track and makes a race, Hendrick will be satisfied because it will be a start to something he believes is long overdue.(in part from ThatsRacin.com/AP)(7-17-2002)
