Former NASCAR team owner indicted on federal tax charges
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A grand jury indicted the owner of BK Racing, a now-defunct NASCAR Cup Series organization, on multiple federal tax charges.
Ron Devine, the former owner of BK Racing, faces four counts of failing to pay payroll taxes.
According to the indictment, Devine controlled BK Racing’s financial affairs. That includes having sole signature authority over filing and paying BK Racing’s payroll taxes.
The indictment alleges that, between 2012 and 2017, Devine transferred more than $2 million in payroll taxes to his other businesses and entities. It also alleges he used some of those funds to pay for BK Racing’s expenses, such as rent, utilities, and vendor bills.
That allegedly includes failing to pay more than $390,000 in payroll taxes owed to the IRS.
“Payroll taxes are withheld from employees’ gross pay and are used by the government to fund Social Security and Medicare. They also include the income taxes withheld from the employees’ paychecks,” the office of U.S. Attorney Dena J. King stated. “Employers are also required to make contributions to payroll taxes matching the amounts withheld from their employees’ pay, and to file quarterly a Form 941, indicating payment of the relevant taxes.”
Devine will appear in federal court in Charlotte. If convicted, Devine could face at least five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
BK Racing raced in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2012-18. From 2012-17, the organization fielded two full-time entries.
In 2018, the organization fielded a single entry. Then, after the Bristol night race in August, they sold that entry to Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins.
BK Racing never fielded another NASCAR Cup Series entry.
In 240 Cup Series races, only three times did a BK Racing car finish inside the top 10:
- Travis Kvapil, finished eighth at Talladega in October 2012
- Matt DiBenedetto, finished sixth at Bristol in April 2016
- Gray Gaulding, finished ninth at Talladega in October 2017
Former full-time BK Racing drivers Alex Bowman (2014), Jeb Burton (2015) and J.J. Yeley (2015) still compete in NASCAR full-time.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com