Sam Belnavis facts for kids

Sam Belnavis (born August 8, 1939 – died July 14, 2021) was an important American leader in car racing. He was an African-American man who owned a NASCAR racing team. This was quite rare at the time. Sam Belnavis also led a program at Roush Fenway Racing to help more diverse drivers get into racing. He also worked on other marketing projects for the company.

Sam Belnavis: Early Life and Education

Sam Belnavis grew up in Brooklyn, New York. As a child, he went to Our Lady of Victory, a school just for Black students. Later, he attended Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School. This school had mostly white students, which was a new experience for him.

College and Military Service

In 1961, Sam Belnavis graduated from Manhattan College in New York. He earned a degree in accounting. Later, he got a higher degree, a Masters in Business Administration, from the University of Michigan.

While at Manhattan College, he was part of the Air Force ROTC. After college, he served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He was part of the 105th Tactical Fighter Wing.

Sam Belnavis's Career in Business and Racing

After leaving the Air Force in 1968, Sam Belnavis started working at Sears in a management role. He then became a director of sports marketing for Miller Brewing. In 1981, he helped sign Bobby Allison to a sponsorship deal.

Working in NASCAR

After his time at Miller, Belnavis joined DiGard Racing. One of his main jobs there was to help bring an African-American driver into the team.

Later, Belnavis became a senior vice-president at Saatchi & Saatchi. This was one of the biggest advertising companies in the world. In 1991, he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. There, he started his own advertising and marketing company called Belnavis & Associates.

Making History in NASCAR

In 2003, Sam Belnavis made history. He became NASCAR's first full-time minority team owner. His team, BelCar Motorsports, raced the #54 U.S. National Guard Ford car. Todd Bodine was the driver.

Belnavis left BelCar Racing after that season. However, he kept working in NASCAR's lower leagues. He helped with the Drive for Diversity program. This program helped new drivers like Morty Buckes, Brianne Conrath, and Jesus Hernandez. Later, Belnavis joined Roush Racing. He became their director of diversity programs.

In 2004, the BelCar Racing team closed down. It was the only minority-owned team in NASCAR at that time. This happened when the National Guard decided to sponsor a Roush Racing car instead.

Personal Life

Sam Belnavis was married to Christine. They had one son, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. He passed away on July 14, 2021, at the age of 81.