Florida has long been considered a state for racial discord and racial injustice.
In October of 1920, there was the racial injustice of four Black men being lynched in Macclenny, Florida under suspicion of being connected to a man who potentially killed a White farmer. Due to the lynch mob continually seeking justice, most of the Black citizens in Macclenny deserted the area for fear of further violent attacks.
In January of 1923, another racial injustice was the massacre of the predominantly Black town of Rosewood, Florida after a White woman made rape accusations against a Black man, which led to the violent riots and the murder of several innocent African Americans.
In 1946, while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers Triple A team, the Montreal Royals, Jackie Robinson was ran out of the town of Sanford, Florida after heavy threats of violence if he were to take the field.
On Christmas night of 1951, Harry Tyson Moore, school teacher and founder of the first branch of the NAACP in Seminole County, had his house fire bombed killing he and his wife on their 25th wedding anniversary. The reason being was because of Moore’s tireless efforts to increase Black voter registration in Florida to 31 percent, higher than any other Southern state.
No one was ever indicted in their murders, however, in 2006 the state of Florida concluded the Moore’s were murdered as a result of a conspiracy by the Central Florida Ku Klux Klan.
In August of 2010, Marissa Alexander, nine days after giving birth to her premature daughter, was attacked by her abusive estranged husband at their home, with her children present. She was able to get away to retrieve her lawfully registered gun, and fired a warning shot upwards into a wall to prevent him from beating her to death.
Marissa ended up being arrested. She pleaded “not guilty” under the “Stand Your Ground” Florida law. She was denied “Stand Your Ground” immunity from prosecution, and sentenced to a minimum of 20 years behind bars, however, the state Prosecutor was seeking a 60 year sentence.
In December of 2010, Justin Collison (White male) was captured on video leaving a Sanford, Florida bar when he walked up behind an unsuspecting Sherman Ware (Black male), punching him in the back of the head, which drove Ware’s face into a utility pole, and then onto the pavement.
Sanford police questioned Collison that night, and had possession of the video, but did not arrest him. Why the injustice? Come to find out, Collison’s father was a Sanford police Lieutenant and his grandfather was a former circuit judge and wealthy Florida landowner. It wasn’t until a month later that Collison was arrested, after news organizations started airing the video.
And in February of 2012, there is the shooting death of 17 year old African American Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman; and then July of 2013, the acquittal of George Zimmerman under the “Stand Your Ground” Florida law!
So what is the meaning behind this racial injustice history lesson?
To date, the France family’s mastery of deception has been impeccable until now.
It is an abomination, that for 67 years, the citizens of the United States of America, at the expense of African Americans, have enabled the France family to reap unimaginable wealth by legally organizing and hosting, the single largest gatherings across the country of bigots, racists and klansman to enjoy their “family owned” sports entertainment business known as NASCAR!
Literally, in the hierarchy of the fraternal organization known as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, the France family would be considered a national officer known as an “Imperial Wizard”.
The accusation is harsh, which will immediately be characterized as farcical, preposterous, and undoubtedly discredited because maneuvering through the truth will cause far more carnage than anyone would care to absorb - but when you strip the layers away, and look at just the facts, the notion is plausible!
France family, it is without question, you will try to leverage all of your resources to discredit this accusation by having Twitter suspend accounts, Facebook alter posts, and cry to your mainstream media partners to write articles and do interviews to erase the mere mention of your analogized affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan - but sadly for you, history, 67 years of NASCAR history, cannot be erased.
Watch video - https://youtu.be/wMhV2clIM94
It is truly unfathomable to believe that a sport in the 21st century remains this racially segregated and unpopulated, and corporate partners of NASCAR are accepting of the fact there has never been an African American/Black compete in the soon to be 58 year history of “The Great American Race”.
Now is the time, on the heels of all the recent, and historically documented, racial profiling, racial injustices and racial discord that has plagued this country - spawning the emergence of Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter, the resurgence of the Nation of Islam who celebrated their 20th anniversary of the Million Man March with their new battle cry “Justice or Else” - for African Americans, and all Americans, to “Stand Our Ground” against NASCAR and their sponsors for their role with this overt racial injustice and discrimination.
That said, allow this letter to introduce ourselves.
We go by the alias Ray Cerex. We are a syndicate of industry professionals determined to eradicate the racial injustice that has plagued the American motorsports industry for decades.
We will be lending our professional expertise and support to empower the “Minority Youth Matters Movement” founded by Diversity Motorsports’ Terrance Cox, who has been adversarially engaged with NASCAR over the past few months, for neglecting to consider Diversity Motorsports as an alternate marketing partner to promote NASCAR and their brand within the urban and disadvantaged communities.
Consider this letter as a courtesy, to become informed of our intent to help initiate a boycott of the 2016 Daytona 500.
Given the earlier analogized affiliation, we are intrigued by the irony that NASCAR celebrates the running of “The Great American Race” every February, which just happens to be Black History Month, and to date, there has never been an African American/Black compete in the 57 year history of this race.
NASCAR sponsors/partners, it is a known fact, NASCAR’s upper level management has been assuring you, as a corporate partner, that they have been monitoring this situation, and at this time they believe there is no real threat from the “Minority Youth Matters Movement” and its founder Terrance Cox.
To be clear, initially, Mr. Cox was the “Lone Ranger” with regards to the “Minority Youth Matters Movement” against NASCAR. He unquestionably took on a tall order when he chose a confrontational approach against NASCAR and their top level brass to make a change, and/or accept other groups intended philosophy regarding diversity programs outside of NASCAR’s control.
We commend Mr. Cox for his courage, commitment and his willingness to become Public Enemy #1 within the motorsports industry in hopes of making a change for the better.
Considering Mr. Cox’s original methods of engagement with NASCAR were a bit unorthodox, make no mistake, our future efforts of engagement will not be.
Our current extensions of support range from Black Lives Matter, the Nation of Islam, NAACP, Bikers For Justice or Else, nationally known political figures, former executives, existing and former motorsport insiders and a plethora of national media organizations not intertwined within NASCAR’s web of deception, whom are ready to participate with this movement now, and up through February and beyond.
Additionally, we will continue gathering information from potential claimants to file a $5+ billion dollar Class Action lawsuit against NASCAR and each of their participating partners for accentuating discriminatory practices within the sport.
So please allow this information to dispel any notion that NASCAR has anything under control.
We are primed and ready to uncover the racial injustices that have been associated with this sport for decades, and expose the financial abuse corporate executives have enjoyed, at the expense of their customers, with regards to their corporate partnerships and/or sponsorships with NASCAR - where not one cent has gone to support a diversity motorsport program, not controlled by NASCAR.
Case and point.
In 2009, General Motors received a tax bailout by American taxpayers, for a government assisted bankruptcy and restructuring to the sum of $16 billion dollars.
With the tax bailout of American taxpayers money, General Motors remained, and to this day remains, very entrenched within various disciplines of motorsport around the world. And unapologetically, General Motors has never provided funding to outside minority motorsport organizations to compete at any level - hmmm, not good.
Jim Campbell, Vice President Performance Vehicles and Motorsports for Chevrolet in NASCAR and INDYCAR, will have ample opportunities to utilize his power and influence to reverse that trend in 2016 and beyond. Especially since American tax payers, were/are paying for Chevrolet’s privilege to race.
When you consider African Americans account for 44 million people in this country and nearly $1.3 trillion dollars in annual spending power, there is no articulate rationale to depict how NASCAR can declare Darryl Wallace, Jr. as the “only” Black driver capable of competing within any of NASCAR’s touring divisions, and Brad Daugherty is the “only” Black on-air television personality qualified to cover any domestic motorsport series.
Is the analogized affiliation beginning to have more clarity?
No?
It should. NASCAR has been in control, total control, for a long time. Everyone is scared to go up against the bully. Sponsors, teams, drivers, owners, race track owners/promoters have all been bullied by NASCAR.
Isn’t that right Junior Johnson? If only you had brokered your deal with R. J. Reynolds first, the Johnson family could have owned NASCAR.
In any case, there is an old adage that says “don’t bite the hand that’s feeding you”.
Well NASCAR, prepare to get bit.
You see, we are fighting for a group of people who have been starving to be a part of the motorsports industry for decades, and you have been holding out. You have been forcing others to hold out as well, in order to achieve your analogized affiliation’s agenda!
Not true France family? You want to dispute this accusation? Well before you do, just consider, there is still history, 67 years of NASCAR history, that cannot be erased.
If you are not carrying out some sick agenda, then there is no doubt NASCAR has the financial means to remedy this racial unjust “immediately” that has been transpiring under your watch for the past 67 years.
Given the lack of success with the “Drive for Diversity” program. Real, honest, true success, and not your fabricated dictatorship success - it just goes to show that this program would have a far greater impact if funded, and led by an outside organization, not under NASCAR’s control.
Are you still not convinced the analogized affiliation has some merit?
Then allow us to showcase some numbers associated with NASCAR since engaging with its first title sponsor in 1972, up through the second-term of Barack Obama, the first Black President of the United States of America, to identify why funding other outside diversity motorsport organizations is seemingly an issue.
TITLE SPONSORS
CUP
1972 - 2003
R.J. Reynolds (Winston)
started sponsoring NASCAR with $572 million budget after a bill signed by President Nixon in 1971 banned all cigarette advertising over the airwaves.
2004 - Present
NEXTEL/Sprint
the NEXTEL/Sprint title sponsorship deal was estimated between
$700 million ($70 million per year). The contract was extended to
2016 under the Sprint brand. To date, Sprint has never hired an
African American/Black “Miss Sprint Cup” representative.
GRAND NATIONAL
1982 - 2007
Anheuser-Busch
the estimated title sponsorship for the Busch Series was $250 million ($10 million per year).
2008 - 2014
Nationwide Insurance
the estimated title sponsorship for the Nationwide Series was $56 million ($8 million per year).
2015 - Present
Comcast/Xfinity
the Xfinity Series is a 10-year agreement for an estimated $200 million.
TRUCK
1996 - 2008
Craftsman
unable to secure NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series sponsorship information.
2009 - present
Camping World
the Camping World Truck Series is 7-year agreement estimated to be worth $35 million.
TELEVISION
Comcast/NBC $4.4 BILLION over 10 years
African American/Black on-air talent featured
on any NASCAR programming - 0
FOX $2.4 BILLION over eight years
African American/Black on-air talent featured
on any NASCAR programming - 0
ESPN $2.7 BILLION over eight years
African American/Black on-air talent featured
on any NASCAR programming - 1
(Brad Daugherty)
Turner Sports $2.7 BILLION over eight years
African American/Black on-air talent featured
on any NASCAR programming - 0
When adding up “only” the television networks investment, the sum is $12.2 BILLION dollars going to NASCAR!
And of all the programming associated with each networks investment for $12.2 billion dollars to televise NASCAR, only one African American (Brad Daugherty) is being paid as on-air talent.
That said, Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Comcast Corporation and Stephen B. Burke, Chief Executive Officer of NBCUniversal, dare we ask - how is it possible that your company can sign a $4.4 billion dollar television deal for NBC’s family of networks to cover NASCAR, and a 10-year deal estimated at $200 million to sponsor NASCAR’s second tier division, and you do not have one African American/Black on-air talent under contract, nor do you have any funding allocated to support a diversity program not under the control of NASCAR?
Truly unconscionable - wouldn’t you agree?
Let’s take a further look at some numbers associated with NASCAR against other elite forms of motorsports involving African American/Black drivers, since Barack Obama took office as the 44th President of the United States of America on January 20th, 2009.
NASCAR
Darrell Wallace, Jr.
(Camping World Truck,
Nationwide/Xfinity series)
INDYCAR
Willy T. Ribbs
(INDYCAR-Indy Lights)
Chase Austin
(INDYCAR-Indy Lights)
Axcil Jefferies
(INDYCAR-Indy Lights)
FIA
Lewis Hamilton
(Three-time Formula One World Champion, GP2 Champion)
Jann Mardenborough
(LMPI World Endurance, GP3)
ONE THING IS FOR SURE, NUMBERS DON’T LIE!
So in closing, we now turn our attention to the future!
Unfortunately for you NASCAR/France family, the time to have experienced exceptional growth for your sport would have been during Barack Obama’s tenure as the 44th President of the United States of America.
It would have made perfect sense to usher in a new era for NASCAR. The opportunity was there for the taking. If the United States was ready to be lead by a Black man, surely NASCAR could have “orchestrated” some amazing set of circumstances for an African American to have had success in your top-tier series; and/or better yet, you could have found your version of Mike Tirico to anchor your televised broadcasts.
Sadly, your ego, arrogance and short-sightedness has led you to this moment right here.
Your skewed ideology of leadership in NASCAR; and your ability to leverage exorbitant amounts of corporate funding for your “family owned” sports entertainment business without having several African American drivers, crew chiefs, mechanics, team owners, on-air television personalities, and at least one corporate board member is coming to a close.
In truth, the “Minority Youth Matters Movement” is not your “quintessential” issue, but it should be of your immediate concern.
There is so much more at stake then trying to dictate who is in The Chase, or who needs to visit the hauler, or how you will continue to allow your “Drive For Diversity” program be incompetently led by someone who has another full time job elsewhere; because when you announce your new title sponsor, we cannot wait to correspond with them!
Finally, to the 2016 presidential candidates, if you are truly seeking votes, and wish to lead the United States in a new direction - then helping abolish the most segregated sport in the 21st century would be a great start.
Florida senator, Marco Rubio, we trust you will agree that NASCAR needs to be more financially proactive in their approach of being an inclusive sport? Their leadership facade over their 67 year existence has not been welcoming, inclusive and accepting to all citizens of the United States - and certainly you should find that appalling as well.
Donald Trump, getting Black pastors to endorse and pray for your Presidential candidacy’s success will not be enough! If you truly want to “Make America Great Again”, then help ensure “The Great American Race” is American, by having an African American(s) compete in it!
To the city of Daytona, and Mayor Derrick Henry, the “Minority Youth Matters Movement” constituents of Black Lives Matter, the Nation of Islam, Bikers for Justice or Else, etc. - who will embark on your town to boycott NASCAR and their sponsors in February during the 2016 Daytona 500 - we expect to have the “World’s Most Famous Beach” roll out the red carpet for them, just as your mayoral predecessors had done over the past 57 years for the bigots, racists and klansman to enjoy “The Great American Race”.
And lastly, Hulman & Co., Hulman Motorsports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR...YOU’RE NEXT, BECAUSE YOUR “FAMILY OWNED” SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS IS WORSE THAN NASCAR!!!
Ray Cerex
E. [email protected], [email protected]
T. @raycerex9, @raycerex1, @raycerex_
NASCAR Corporate Partners/Sponsors/Affiliates Under Investigation for Discrimination: Sprint, Xfinity, Camping World, General Motors/Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota, Goodyear, Sunoco, M&M’s, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Budweiser, Lowes, Target, FedEX, Mobil 1, K&N, 3M, Exide Batteries, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Quicken Loans, Menards, Bass Pro Shops, Kroger, Geico, Nationwide, Shell, AAA, HP, Whelen, NBC, FOX, Turner Sports
