NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity Initiative Examined
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Lester Lone African-American Driver
Competing In NASCAR's Top Three Series |
NASCAR is “making some progress in diversifying team executives and crewmembers
... and has several initiatives to attract and train more,” according to
a front-page Cover Story by USA TODAY’s Seth Livingstone. But four years
after launching its Drive for Diversity program, NASCAR has no African Americans
or women competing regularly in either the Nextel Cup or Busch Series, and Bill
Lester is the lone African American competing regularly in the Craftsman Truck
Series. Lester said that he is “frustrated at not having been able to land
a major sponsor that might enable him to get superior equipment or a place on
a Nextel Cup team.” Lester: “It’s a little disappointing that
companies, especially those that are Afro-American-owned or directed, are risk-adverse
and don’t see that their product could be served in this environment.”
NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France said, “If we don’t get diversity
right, this sport will not achieve what it needs to achieve from a popularity
standpoint.” SMI President Humpy Wheeler added, “One of the things
that can help us is getting better ratings in New York, L.A. and Chicago. To do
that, we’ve got to have a reason for Hispanics to like (the sport). I think
that is what a successful [Juan Pablo] Montoya would do for us” (USA
TODAY, 4/27).
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