Donald Trump has the backing of many varied corners of American life. From CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies to politicians, sports figures and public figures of nearly all stripes — Trump is hitting a nerve.
On Monday, NASCAR CEO Brian France joined “Team Trump,” endorsing the presidential candidate at a rally in Georgia.
Apparently that endorsement has hit a nerve of a fellow CEO, one who happens to sponsor one of the three major series NASCAR puts on nationally. Camping World CEO, Marcus Lemonis, was none-too-happy with Frances’ public stance and endorsement of Trump.
His company has been the title sponsor of the NASCAR truck series since 2009.
Lemonis’ biggest issue? France’s endorsement and its reflection on those who do business with NASCAR and its sponsors.
Lemonis had this to say to website, The Daily Beast:
“If you are a business leader, you should not use [your] platform to discuss your political views … or your religious views,” Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Camping World, told The Daily Beast. “You serve at pleasure of your employees and the customers … [Brian] does not have that right to lay the blanket over an entire sport that is funded by people who write big checks to support him … He is crossing the line by using [for his Trump endorsement] the NASCAR backdrop that I spend millions of dollars on.”
To be fair, Frances’ endorsement of Trump didn’t come on the back of his NASCAR relations, and the organization made it very clear it was France’s own choice and didn’t reflect on the organization.
It doesn’t seem to matter to Lemonis though, as he clearly believes any head of any company shouldn’t be involved in any political endorsements of any kind.
There is no place for politics/any political endorsements in any business. Your customers and employees should have their own mind. #period
— Marcus Lemonis (@marcuslemonis) March 1, 2016
Lemonis does have a vested interest in some of what others around him do, as he is the star of his own reality TV series — “The Profit” on CNBC. His stance on Trump isn’t a new one, as Lemonis went out of his way to try and change the venue of the Camping Series Awards, which were scheduled to be held at Trump National Doral in Miami this past winter.
“Last year, our NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Ceremony was held at the Trump National Doral in Miami, and due to recent and ongoing blatantly bigoted and racist comments from Donald Trump in regards to immigrants of the United States, I would like to inform you that I will not, nor will any representative of Camping World, participate or attend in the ceremonial event if it is held at any Trump property,” Lemonis, himself an immigrant, wrote, as reported in July.
“Our company will not stand to support any person or organization that associates with such beliefs and we feel strongly about distancing ourselves from any negative and discriminatory comments made against any gender, ethnicity, age group or so forth,” he continued. “I would hope that the entire NASCAR organization would agree with my sentiments.”
The event was eventually pulled, and perhaps Lemonis sees this as another opportunity to take it to Trump.
It is pretty clear Lemonis is aware of his own branding and is sensitive to the whims of the national perception of whom and what he associates himself with. Perception matters deeply to him, and perhaps rightfully so given his reality TV status as one who turns companies around with his money and business expertise.