NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity is expanding to include a new element of series competition: pit road. On May 27 and 28, the program will hold its first pit crew combine to try and develop talented minority men & women into future crew members within the sport.
17 participants from around the globe will try out for one of 10 spots in the newly established pit crew development program. These people are former athletes in other sports, similar to a number of current pit crew members in NASCAR.
Next week marks the first ever national pit combine for the diversity program, focused up to this point in its lifespan on drivers only. Throughout its brief history, over 30 men & women within the sport have moved through the ranks in a quest to compete within NASCAR’s three top national touring series. Kyle Larson and Darrell Wallace, Jr. are some of the more notable drivers who have progressed to the sport’s XFINITY and Cup series.
Prior to the 2016 campaign kicking off, six new members were selected as part of the diversity program. These drivers include NASCAR K&N Pro Series East wheelman Collin Cabre, Jario (JR) Avila, Ruben Garcia, Jr. and Ali Kern. Enrique Baca and Madeline Crane are currently competing within NASCAR’s Whelen All-American Series.
Next week’s event will be hosted by the Rev Racing Team, the main diversity outlet whose website offered an application for interested crew members. To be eligible for the combine next week, participants had to be of minority descent.
About the author
Dustin joined the Frontstretch team at the beginning of the 2016 season. 2020 marks his sixth full-time season covering the sport that he grew up loving. His dream was to one day be a NASCAR journalist, thus why he attended Ithaca College (Class of 2018) to earn a journalism degree. Since the ripe age of four, he knew he wanted to be a storyteller.
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