NASCAR welcomes Dr. Evelyn Bethune to motor racing
Racing for Education
DAYTONA, Fla.,—Last Friday’s Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway was the inaugural race for one of the most unique teams and causes ever to come to the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Racing For Education, LLC in conjunction with Diversity Motorsports Racing, LLC, rolled out its new #19 Racing For Education car driven by Mike Bliss for the first of several planned nationwide series events this season. Mike drove to a 20th place finish and everyone within the organization was excited by the performance and the opportunity to generate a new and diverse fan base.
Racing For Education is a joint venture founded by Terrance Cox, CEO of Diversity Motorsports Racing, LLC, marketing genius behind this venture, and Dr. Evelyn Bethune, president of the Mary McLeod Bethune Legacy Preservation Institute, Inc., the first African American woman to be principal owner of a NASCAR Nationwide Series team. As Terrance states, “Failure is not an option.”
Education touches everyone and while the team is initially focusing on the goals of assisting HBCU’s and the members of HACU, it fully intends rolling out the RFE program in time to cover all tertiary education before extending to both secondary and primary education sectors.
Dr. Bethune’s vision is to attract fans and supporters not only from NASCAR and the motorsports world, but from all students, parents, alumni, and supporters of education. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune stated that, “Education is the prime need of the hour” and her grand daughter believes that “the exciting combination of NASCAR and Racing for Education is the perfect equation for success.”
Racing For Education also introduced one of their young driving prodigies, Matt Murphy IV, at the Friday press conference. Matt is 11 years old and began racing dragsters at age six under the tutelage of his grandfather. RFE is taking Matt under its wings in the RFE Rising Star Program to encourage him to complete his education through college and fuel his passion for racing.
The Racing For Education initiative will not remain solely within NASCAR or the U.S. national race scene. There are plans in place through global contacts to cover international race series and other areas of motorsport such as bikes, offshore powerboats, and air racing for example. Join us and “Get On Track.” Website: www.racing4education.com. Office Phone: 386-202-2077.
Morehouse College, one of the most distinguished historically Black colleges—with graduates like Dr. Martin Luther King, former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, film director Spike Lee and others—literally shut down for spring break this week. As its 2,000 students took their break, every member of the faculty and staff was furloughed without pay as the college struggles to balance its books.
The National Rifle Association will sponsor the NASCAR Sprint Cup event in Texas on April 13, Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage announced Monday.
The race will be called the NRA 500 and will be run during prime time.
The Frederick K.C. Price III Schools is partnering with Stepping in the Right Direction to host “The Black College Fair,” a free Historically Black College and University (HBCU) college fair on Saturday, Dec., 15, 2012, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The fair will feature more than 45 HBCUs from around the country, including Spelman College, Howard University, Morehouse College, Hampton University and Xavier University. The fair will be held in Crenshaw Christian Center’s Youth Activity Center of Price Schools. The church is located at 7901 S. Vermont Ave. in Los Angeles.
When I went to Bennett College for Women in 2007, I declared that I was “on fire” for the institution. I still am. And I also yield to the biblical verse that says, For everything there is a season, a time for everything under heaven. I had a season to build four buildings in four years, to increase enrollment, to influence curriculum shifts, and to assemble an awesome senior team, to engage with most of my students, and to influence young lives.
Most parents of college students look forward to December, when their students come home for the holidays. Some are so excited to see their offspring home that they actually come to their colleges to pick them up. Others prepare special treats and goodies as an antidote to the oft-complained-about cafeteria food.
Robert and Pam Champion won’t have that opportunity. Their son, Robert, died on Nov. 19. His death has been ruled a homicide, and he is allegedly the victim of hazing.
