The Liberty president vacationed on a NASCAR mogul’s yacht after the university inked a lucrative sponsorship deal.
Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. has repeatedly used a 164-foot yacht owned by NASCAR mogul Rick Hendrick for family vacations after the university committed to a lucrative sponsorship deal with Hendrick Motorsports, according to former and current Liberty employees and social media posts by the Falwell family.
It was on his most recent yacht vacation — spent with his wife, Becki, their children and friends — that the evangelical leader and prominent supporter of President Donald Trump posted a photo with his pants unzipped and arm around his wife’s personal assistant that led to his indefinite suspension.
While much of the controversy surrounding Falwell has focused on his personal behavior — especially in light of Liberty’s conservative Christian values — some trustees are also concerned about his oversight of university funds, current and former Liberty officials told POLITICO.
Since at least 2018, Liberty has sponsored a car with Hendrick Motorsports, a contract that typically runs well into the millions of dollars. The contract is private, so exactly how much the university is paying for the multiyear sponsorship is unknown.