The Athletic is honoring Black History Month with a series of stories about pioneering subjects making an impact in sports.



RICHMOND, Va. — Fairness dictates that, at the outset, you know this isn’t going to be about racing. Not directly, anyway.



There are hundreds — thousands? — of folks more qualified than I to talk about the particulars of the Federated Auto Parts 400 that ran here at Richmond Raceway on Saturday. Many more people can inform you better about Martin Truex Jr.’s ride, about the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings. Also, they can talk about the amazing success of Joe Gibbs Racing — which took the top four spots in the race before fourth-place finisher Erik Jones was disqualified after the race when his car failed an inspection. What I know about handle, steer, fuel, tires, the cars and the people who drive them could fit in a thimble. If you are searching for those things, this might not be the story...