Former Car Owner Working on Diversity at Roush Racing:
March 12, 2004 at 12:00 AM
Sam Belnavis was the first black owner in more than 30 years to run a team full time in NASCAR’s top series last year, owning the #54 cars Todd Bodine drove. Yet, when Belnavis’ sponsor, National Guard, moved to Roush Racing after the season, Belnavis couldn’t find a replacement and closed shop. The legacy Belnavis wanted to bequeath his family and minorities also appeared to fade. As one opportunity disappeared, another emerged. Car owner Jack Roush hired Belnavis to be the organization’s chief diversity officer. “I have far more resources and Jack is committed to the diversity effort,” Belnavis said as crew members – almost exclusively white – worked on cars in the garage area last Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “We’re going to institute some programs that are going to be in the name of diversity. That’s my job.” A few blacks have tried ownership but have not had enough success to sustain a full-time effort. There have been fewer drivers. The late Wendell Scott is the only black driver to win a NASCAR race, and that was in 1963. Bill Lester is the only black driver with a full-time ride in the NASCAR’s top three series. He competes in the Craftsman Truck Series for Bill Davis Racing. Now, there are a number of programs. Joe Gibbs Racing has a diversity driver program that has a black driver and a Hispanic driver competing in Late Model races. A program supported by NASCAR will place five minority drivers with various Late Model teams in the Southeast. There is also the Roush Racing program that Belnavis heads. Belnavis selected Morty Buckles to compete this season in Late Model races in Virginia, primarily at Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas and Southampton Motor Speedway in Capron. Belnavis also said that he’s working with a pair of black go-kart drivers, ages 15 and 16, in the Northeast. Belnavis said he knows that whenever a minority driver moves to the Cup level that person will face many challenges. “There’s a tremendous amount of pressure on the teams as well as whomever that individual is in their initial stages of their career,” said Belnavis, who has been involved in auto racing for more than 20 years. “So the teams, we have made this commitment that we’re going to make sure that whoever we identify as our quote-unquote diversity driver is going to be ready.”(Roanoke Times)(3-12-2004)
