GM John Story also leaving DEI, to work with Max Siegel on revamping NASCAR's diversity operations

By Mike Mulhern

mikemulhern.net

   DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.

  John Story, after a two-year run working with Max Siegel in running Dale Earnhardt Inc. for owner Teresa Earnhardt, says he too will be leaving DEI – and joining Siegel in a new venture managing NASCAR's diversity program.
    "It was just time for a change," Story said, between meetings with NASCAR executives here about diversity program changes.
   NASCAR's diversity program is not an in-house operation but is run by an outside agency, which will apparently now be whatever Story and Siegel put together. Story said it will not be in Indianapolis but probably the Charlotte area, where a new NASCAR headquarters is under construction and where most of the sports' shops are located.
    The moves by Story and Siegel come as DEI itself has merged with – or been absorbed by – Chip Ganassi. The new Earnhardt-Ganassi operation is being run out of the Ganassi shops near Concord Airport. What will become of the two massive DEI shops in Mooresville is unclear. Steve Hmiel, who has been a top technical manager at Ganassi's the past two years, is expected to play a key role in running the technical side of the new merged operations.