NASCAR says $500M discrimination suit citing Steve Harvey has 'no merit'

Terrance Cox, the CEO of a motorsports team named Diversity Motorsports, filed a $500 million lawsuit vs. NASCAR and member teams on Friday alleging that his team’s efforts to be successful were intentionally stifled.

Per the Los Angeles Times, Cox’s suit says NASCAR “has intentionally interfered with the efforts of Cox and Diversity Motorsports to integrate the U.S. motorsports industry by perpetuating, condoning and actively participating in actions designed to humiliate, degrade, ostracize and exclude Cox.”

The suit says NASCAR has been “complicit” and “supportive” of an environment excluding African-Americans. It points out that Xfinity Series driver Bubba Wallace is the only African-American driver in NASCAR’s top two series.

A NASCAR spokesperson told TMZ that Cox’s suit was without merit and that “Diversity both on and off the track continues to be a top priority for NASCAR and its stakeholders. We stand behind our actions, and will not let a publicity-seeking legal action deter us from our mission.”

The suit, asking for $425 million in punitive damages, mentions actor and comedian Steve Harvey, per TMZ, and claims that Harvey wanted to start a race team titled “Steve Harvey Races 4 Education” with Cox but the team never got off the ground because NASCAR didn’t want Cox involved in the sport.

Harvey said on his radio show Wednesday that he had no interest in starting a race team stating “I don’t even like fast-ass cars.”

Harvey also said that he wished Cox had money so he could sue him, but that “he ain’t got none.”

The Facebook page for Diversity Motorsports was last updated in 2012 and features pictures from the 2011 July Xfinity Series race at Daytona and the The No. 19 Tri-Star Motorsports car of Mike Bliss. The car had a “Racing 4 Education” paint scheme in that race, the only time it was sponsored by Racing 4 Education all season.

The last picture on the Diversity Facebook page was from a meeting with boxing promoter Don King. The team’s website still features a 2011 Xfinity Series car and says the team was founded by Cox and Bob Schacht.

Cox is not listed as a team owner of a car in NASCAR or ARCA in Racing Reference’s comprehensive owner database. Schacht last fielded a Sprint Cup Series entry in 2001 and an Xfinity Series entry in 2010. He entered two cars at an ARCA race earlier this season.

Diversity Motorsports’ failure as a new team to run a NASCAR race isn’t uncommon. Numerous small teams have announced plans to compete at NASCAR’s highest levels and have either not done so at all or made it a few races before having to make changes.

The structure and costs of the sport are, quite frankly, not conducive to new teams entering without an owner or sponsors willing and financially able to invest a significant amount of money upfront. You can’t get started in racing without a big initial spend.

NASCAR has also heavily touted its Drive for Diversity program for minorities and females since the program’s inception in 2004. In addition to drivers, the program also includes pit crew tryouts for current and former college athletes.

NASCAR CEO Brian France said he was surprised to see NASCAR’s diversity efforts questioned after his endorsement of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in February.

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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