Dear Editor:

Where will the presence of minority youth be during the upcoming Coke 400, Subway Firecracker 250 and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races? We all know that they won’t be there. Why not? CEO’S that Sponsor NASCAR, maybe you can answer this question given that minorities generate 50 percent of all corporations revenue in this country. Where is the minority presence with your products in NASCAR?

It is the responsibility of the Sponsor Corporations CEO’s to make NASCAR engage with the minority public. The minority families that buy your products, goods and services.

Specifically, Tom Karinshak, Xfinity; Marcus Lemonis, Camping World; Brian Moynihan, Bank Of America; Mary Barra, General Motors; Craig Menear, Home Depot; Robert A Niblock, Lowe’s; Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola; Marcelo Claure, Sprint and Fred DeLuca, Subway; and to all the CEOs of the companies that sponsors NASCAR. Minorities generate fifty percent of the revenue in America that you give to NASCAR, yet we cannot get into NASCAR. There is little to no representation as drivers, team owners, pit crews, or even as employees in NASCAR’s corporate offices. Minorities cannot even sit down and share with NASCAR Leadership as to how to engage our minority communities. But you still give them our money and do not make them accountable as to what is right.

I am Terrance Alton Cox III and I am the CEO of Diversity Motorsports. All of the Youth organizations, faith-based organizations, civic groups etc. have been supporting Diversity Motorsports with the dream that one day our kids can be embraced by NASCAR but sadly, this is not the case. Below you will find a document addressed to me, from the legal department of NASCAR. Apparently, we minorities are too persistent in trying to engage with NASCAR! I do not stand alone and there are many organizations that share this common goal. If NASCAR is going to ban me, then be upfront about it and ban all minorities!

This appeal is to every one of the CEOs aligned in whatever manner with NASCAR today: you have given NASCAR the “minority money” for 56 years, and as NASCAR clearly does not know how to get minority presence next to your product in NASCAR, it has to be left to you CEO’s. From the grassroots level of your consumers, these are kids and it is patently not fair. Now the minority youth have started a grassroots movement called “NASCAR and Sponsors “Minority Youth Matters” Movement.” The youth are looking at the Companies and products that sponsor NASCAR and they are questioning where is the support from the CEO’s with whom we exchange our money for their goods and services.

A half a century on and NASCAR is still not supporting black team ownership. NASCAR should be embracing me, not threatening me. Perhaps it’s purely a money thing that if minorities get into NASCAR, they will become the biggest money makers in NASCAR and the sponsors will flock to their car(s), because we know how to engage with the minorities. Look at the NFL, the NBA, the music industry if you need examples of what I am saying.

In summary, CEO’s you need to take some of that money that the minorities generate and engage with a black team owner. Even though I have been threatened with banishment from NASCAR I will not give in nor will I give up in striving to engage the minority youth in NASCAR.

Sometimes in life as CEO’s we just have to do what’s right. These are minority kids with a dream, and this is America, the greatest country on earth and I know that like me, you all believe in the American dream. Happy Independence Day!

Best Regards,
Terrance Alton Cox III