“You really realize that when you’re around, there’s some people that just don’t want you around and they’re not going to say it to your face. You can feel it, or you hear it later. There are guys and gals that made comments when I was coming along 20 years ago that they didn’t want me around. I had no business being there. I’m a basketball player or I’m of color. ‘What am I doing at the racetrack?’ And some of those folks now are in pretty big positions in TV for sports, other sports, and some in NASCAR and I see those people and they act like it never happened.”
Fast forward to 2023, and it seems like it has been worth it because Daugherty has made history. Last month, he became the first Black NASCAR team owner to win the Daytona 500. The fact that the historic win happened during Black History Month was not overlooked by Daugherty.
“I was teasing with someone the other day at the racetrack saying, ‘We get Black History Month. Of course, it’s the shortest month of the year. So, we always get shortchanged, African Americans,’ ” Daugherty, 57, said while speaking with Andscape in a phone interview. “We were laughing a little bit because we were just so proud of our heritage and lineage and all that stuff. And then that popped into my head after the race, ‘Oh, my Lord, man. I just became the first African American to win the Daytona 500, in Black History Month, man.’ It just doesn’t get no better.”
Daugherty played 8 seasons in the NBA and was a five-time All-star with the Cleveland Cavaliers. A back injury ended his career early in 1994, but the Cavs commemorated his outstanding career by retiring his number in 1997. He was also a standout collegiate player at the University of North Carolina where he played alongside Michael Jordan.
Ironically, he and Jordan are two of the five Black owners in NASCAR’s 75-year history. Daugherty talked about reaching out to Jordan after his victory.
“I just texted with him. He just said, ‘Congrats.’ I told him, I said, ‘It’s a damn shame that every article that has your name in it is basically clickbait.’ We were laughing about that. ‘Oh, Michael and Brad trash-talk.’ That’s kind of an old NBA narrative. I’m proud of Michael. And he, he’s saying congrats on what you’ve done. I pull for him. I want that [No.] 47 to finish first, but I want his cars to finish second every week. And I want people to get that. They think all we do as basketball players is talk trash and we don’t have the brain to talk. He said, ‘Congrats, my brother. Congrats, man. Proud.’ I said, ‘Thank you, appreciate it, man.’
To read more of Brad Daugherty’s interview click here.