1. Felix Sabates is a partner in Chip Ganassi Racing teams, which formerly fielded teams in the NASCAR Cup Series, as well as fielding the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, World Endurance Championship and IndyCar Series teams.
29 Facts About Felix Sabates
1. 2.
Felix Sabates' grandfather grew sugar until a fire destroyed the business in the 1930s.
3.
Felix Sabates attended military school as a teenager, first in Havana, and later in Camaguey.
4.
Felix Sabates was the first member of the family to enter the United States of America.
5.
Felix Sabates initially settled in Boston, Massachusetts with his aunt and uncle, before moving to Columbia, Missouri.
6.
In between, Felix Sabates lived in motels and worked several odd jobs, including washing pots and pans at a hospital.
7.
In Lexington, Felix Sabates began working 12-hour shifts in a furniture factory.
8.
Later, Felix Sabates began working at the City Chevrolet car dealership in Downtown Charlotte, offering to work for free on the condition that if he outsells the other salesman within a month, that he would be compensated and offered a permanent sales position.
9.
In 1969 at the age of 25, Felix Sabates accepted a position as a salesman for Top Sales Company, Inc which distributed retail products.
10.
In 1988, Felix Sabates purchased a Hatteras Yacht dealership in Stuart, Florida.
11.
Felix Sabates is the owner of International Yacht Collection, a company involved in yacht management, charters, brokerage, and new construction, with offices in Monaco, the Bahamas, Saint Martin, and the United States.
12.
Felix Sabates owns and operates a Mercedes Benz dealership that is a four-time recipient of the Best Award given to only the top 10 percent of dealers nationwide.
13.
Felix Sabates operates the largest volume Infiniti dealership in North Carolina as well as Hyundai, Ford, Lincoln Mazda, Sprinter and Smart Car auto dealerships.
14.
In 1987, Felix Sabates became a NASCAR team owner with the purchase of a Hendrick Motorsports research and development team from Charlotte businessman Rick Hendrick, who owns Chevrolet dealerships.
15.
Felix Sabates' first driver in 1989 was a third-generation racer Kyle Petty.
16.
In 1992, Felix Sabates' team branched out into the Busch Series Following the death of Alan Kulwicki, Felix Sabates gained the assets of his racing team, and later sold it to Geoff Bodine which became Goeff Bodine racing.
17.
Ganassi would purchase an 80 percent stake in the team, with Felix Sabates retaining the remaining 20 percent.
18.
Felix Sabates's team made the Chase for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series four times, finished in the top five in points in three different seasons and won the 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400.
19.
In 1988, Felix Sabates became one of the founding owners of the original Charlotte Hornets basketball team.
20.
Felix Sabates played an intricate part negotiating with the NBA to grant franchise rights to Charlotte.
21.
Felix Sabates returned professional hockey to Charlotte for the first time since 1977, when the ECHL placed the Charlotte Checkers expansion franchise in Charlotte for 1993.
22.
The Charlotte Observer obtained a letter from Felix Sabates blaming Charlotte's City Council for losing the game, which was projected to have a $100 million impact on the state.
23.
Felix Sabates has served on the board of directors for Carolinas Health Care Systems for the past 27 years.
24.
Felix Sabates serves on the board of directors for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the Applica Corporation, Simpson Products, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and he was the co-chair of a North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on Latino Health.
25.
Felix Sabates is well known for his many philanthropic contributions and has received several honors and awards for his work.
26.
Felix Sabates became a member of the philanthropic Dream Makers Society of the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County, Florida, in recognition of his 12-year commitment to and support of special fund raising events.
27.
Felix Sabates is a large contributor to the North Carolina Health Care System Foundation, the Allegro Foundation to benefit children with special needs, as well as the Levine Children's Hospital that bears a special plaque in his honor is in the main lobby.
28.
Felix Sabates was appointed by Governor Jim Martin as a commissioner of the North Carolina State Banking Commission.
29.
Felix Sabates did not support Republican candidate Donald Trump's campaigns for president in 2016 and 2020.