[vincesanity82]

Brad Daugherty, already the most visible black man in NASCAR, is becoming a fulltime Sprint Cup team owner. Daugherty has been an on-and-off team owner for the past 20 years at the sport's Class AAA level, and is a TV analyst for ESPN's Sprint Cup coverage. His move should be a big step forward for NASCAR's diversity program. Striking while the iron is hot, Daugherty, a Black Mountain native and formerNorth Carolina basketball star, has bought into partnership with Tad Geschickter, a former advertising exec who has been running a Nationwide team the past few years. The two will be campaigning Marcos Ambrose on the Sprint Cup tour next season full-time, Daugherty said. Daugherty says he also plans to run two NASCAR Late Model teams "with drivers of color." -- Winston-Salem Journal

Diversity in NASCAR

[883dalesrjr]

I really like Daugherty

[Quality88]

I'm startin to feel better about the man... at first I didn't think much of the man.... just bein an owner doesn't mean you know the sport, but it seems he actually picks up on things and tries to learn the sport and understand it.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Originally Posted by Quality88

I'm startin to feel better about the man... at first I didn't think much of the man.... just bein an owner doesn't mean you know the sport, but it seems he actually picks up on things and tries to learn the sport and understand it.

Same here. When they first came back, I thought ESPN just brought him in to connect with a wider audience. I still think that's at least half true, but it turned out well. He has great enthusiasm for racing.

I've also heard that Geschickter and Daugherty are thinking about adding another cup lite team with Coleman Pressley, Robert's son, who's currently running modifieds.

[Phils20]

I thought he was pretty good from the get go.

I did agree that maybe they hired him deliberately, but so what? If he is good, then it's a win-win deal!

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Phils20

I thought he was pretty good from the get go.

I did agree that maybe they hired him deliberately, but so what? If he is good, then it's a win-win deal!

They hired Rusty which just proves they can't get them all right.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

They hired Rusty which just proves they can't get them all right.

Very true. I tried to like Rusty, I did! But it ain't working!

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Phils20

Very true. I tried to like Rusty, I did! But it ain't working!

He does to much, "When I was driving", in his commentating

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Phils20

Very true. I tried to like Rusty, I did! But it ain't working!

You get a point for at least trying Phil

Originally Posted by Quality88

He does to much, "When I was driving", in his commentating

The fact that he breathes is beginning to bother me.

[Phils20]

Wow, that is rough!

But not unwarranted!

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Phils20

Wow, that is rough!

But not unwarranted!

Just my opinion ... not a death wish

[Phils20]

I know you are just using an expression!

I guess!

[Gillette Young Gun]

I like Rusty and Daugherty, although I do believe they hired Daugherty because he was black.

[bob101]

I'm not a fan of Rusty's either. At least they moved him out of the booth.

I think Rusty's death wish was signed back last year when he made the comments on air after the Busch race that had so many cautions about how "freaking ridiculous" this NASCAR was. He came out and apologized later, but you obviously he thought he wasn't on air.

I'm not sure about NASCAR but other sports such as the NFL, MLB etc...all have the ability to yank a broadcaster from a network written into the contract.

Personally I think that's why you hear stuff at Indy like NASCAR doing the best they can. Nobody is going to come out and just say it sucked who is employeed by the network.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Gillette Young Gun

I like Rusty and Daugherty, although I do believe they hired Daugherty because he was black.

Normally I would agree with you.

However, if you know anything about Brad, there is more to the guy than just being your everyday jock who can't spell "cat" if you spot him the "C" and the "T". He'd be working a real job if he couldn't do things with a ball or swing a bat. That isn't Daugherty.

The kid grew up working on cars in his dad's garage. He was an authentic "motorhead" who happened to grow really tall and possessed a lot of nature athletic ability. He grew up owning various hot rods and says he really wanted to follow in Wendell Scott's footsteps but he got the B-ball scholarship to UNC.

In his last years in the NBA he became a part owner of the Alliance Training Olds driven by his old friend from childhood, Robert Pressley. When Robert left the team go try his luck in Cup, Daugherty lowered his involvement in racing.

Now he's back. He bought into JGR Racing and is actively involved. His old friend Pressley is the teams driving development guy.

No, I don't see Brad as ESPN's "token black" racing reporter. He's got a whole lot more depth than that. He's been around cars and racing his entire life, truly loves the sport and has a lot to offer.

In his case, and this is a rare one in today's sports TV, his high (no pun intended, even though he is...?6'8") visibility is justified.