Melissa Harville-Lebron – the first African American woman owner of a NASCAR team

Melissa Harville-Lebron – a mother of 7 from New York has recently become the first woman and first African American to own a race team licensed by NASCAR.

Harville-Lebron is the founder and CEO of W.M. Stone Enterprises, Inc., the parent company of a total of three businesses of which she owns – including E2 Northeast Motorsports.

She was first introduced to the sport when her sons drew an interest to racing when they were invited to a NASCAR Experience at the Charlotte, NC Motor Speedway.

The E2 Northeast Motorsports has 4 cars in the All-American Whelen Series Division 1 – a developmental racing team – and 2 trucks in the Camping World Truck Series.

“The biggest surprise has been the amount of support I have gotten from NASCAR, they have given me an amazing amount of information, to get me up to speed as an owner. I always say it to them, you should have an owners class because there is so much information!” said Harville-Lebron.

The team’s NASCAR race debut is set for May 13 in Dover.

Prior to her venturing into entrepreneurship, Harville-Lebron served as a corrections officer and also pursued a career in the entertainment industry.