Despite saying he’d “washed and dried” his hands of BHR, the Craftsman Truck Series team founded by his father, Bobby Hamilton Jr. and his daughter, Haylie have an ownership stake in the team along with Hamilton’s widow, Lori. Lori Hamilton held a press conference on Thursday to introduce the management team leading BHR in the wake of Bobby Hamilton’s death last month due to cancer. Lois Vance, a longtime friend of Hamilton’s and the senior vice president of First Tennessee Bank, is the trustee of his will and is overseeing ownership operations of the team. While she wouldn’t disclose the ownership stake of the three principals, she said Hamilton Jr. can still have a role in the team if he so chooses. During preseason testing at Daytona last month, Hamilton Jr. said he wasn’t happy with BHR’s direction and that he had nothing to do with it. Vance said those comments were made out of emotion, coming just weeks after his father’s passing on Jan. 7. Hamilton Jr. was practicing his Busch Series car during the press conference and was not immediately available for comment. Lori Hamilton said she will remain in charge of sponsor relations, while Andy Dunlap will oversee the day-to-day operations of the team. Kip McCord will focus on the R&D and engineering aspects, while Jeff White, the crew chief for Ken Schrader’s team, will oversee the competition and on-track performance for both BHR teams. (Scene Daily)(2-15-2007)
UPDATE 2: A day after BHR held a press conference where it was stated that the team founded by the late Bobby Hamilton Sr. is owned by his widow, Lori, his son Bobby Hamilton Jr. and granddaughter Haylie, Hamilton Jr. said that isn’t the case. Lois Vance, trustee of Hamilton Sr.’s will, said on Thursday that she wouldn’t discuss how the ownership was structured among the three parties. Hamilton Jr., though, offered his take on Friday, following qualifying for the Orbitz 300 Busch Series race. “We got all ownership in BHR, I don’t know what they’re talking about,” Hamilton Jr. said. “BHR is mine and [daughter] Haylie’s. Everything that Bobby Hamilton had is mine and Haylie’s. … I saw that and I was kind of confused, but I guess they’re trying to give some people some hope. But it’s all laughable and jokeable because their 15 minutes of fame is up.” Hamilton Jr. said the trust names just he and Haylie. “Lois really went in there and I guess is running BHR because I don’t want to have anything to do with it, I just want to concentrate on my deal [driving].” He also reiterated his comments made during January testing that he currently has nothing to do with the team, leaving Vance to oversee things. Hamilton Jr. has no problems with Vance running the team. “She’s supposed to be middle ground,” he said. “I don’t talk to nobody else but Lois. I couldn’t even tell you nobody else’s phone number [with the team]. I talk to the guys in the shop, they bust their [butts] and they deserve better. “The way it’s being done, I couldn’t be a part of it. I don’t lie to myself and I’m not going to lie to other people.” (Scene Daily)(2-17-2007)
