In a sport that’s historically known for consisting of mostly white athletes, NASCAR and Team Rev Racing are working to ensure the next crop of talent in the racing industry is diverse. This week, they held a race combine in North Carolina and South Carolina to identify promising young drivers.
At a racetrack in Mooresville, North Carolina, a group of Black and Latino drivers sit near the pit lane under a tent with laptops. They watch footage of their performances on the track beside a NASCAR driving coach who provides feedback. Lucas Vera, 16, from Charlotte, is one of the people receiving feedback.
“My goal one day is to make it into the Cup Series and, really, be a role model for all Hispanics that eventually want to get into racing; I feel like everyone's welcome to race,” Vera said.
Vera is one of the drivers in the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine hosted by NASCAR and Rev Racing. The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program was started in 2004 to train and develop drivers with different backgrounds and experiences on and off the track.
Vera is one of 15 drivers in the program. They’re between the ages of 12 and 20 from across the U.S., Mexico and Brazil. Over three days, the drivers are evaluated in physical fitness, interaction with the media, track performances and marketing skills. Vera says he is confident in his ability, but there’s one area he’d like to improve on.
“I could definitely improve in my marketing side of being a driver. Obviously, you can really practice and get better at that,” Vera said. “But I'm lacking a little bit there, but physically, I'm doing very well, and I feel like I've got the driving part down so far.”
Jusan Hamilton, NSCAR’s managing director of competition and operations, says it’s key that the drivers have a range of skills beyond racing.
“You have to be able to get sponsors; you have to be able to sell yourself. You have to be marketable. You have to have the personality to connect with fans and then be appealing to a company. So that's why we have that format,” Hamilton said. “The media marketing evaluation is one aspect, but yes, the drivers have to be able to perform on track. That's a given, that's obviously number one, but number two is — do they have the whole package? Because one day, we want to see each of these drivers make it all the way up the ladder to the Cup Series.”
Cassidy Keitt, 14, of Lexington, North Carolina, is one of a few girls at the combine. She says she would like to see more women participate in the racing industry. “I really want to inspire other young children, especially young girls, to be able to come through — it'll be OK,” Keitt said. “I want them to be able to be behind the scenes driving, not even just on the track.”
Diversity in NASCAR can be hard to come across. The top Cup Series currently has Bubba Wallace, the only Black driver; Daniel Suarez of Mexico; Aric Almirola, a Cuban American; and Kyle Larson, the sole Asian American out of 34 full-time drivers. Larson and a few other drivers came up through this same program. The first African American to compete in NASCAR was Elias Bowie in 1955. Charlie Scott broke more barriers when he raced at Daytona Beach in 1956.
Cassidy's father, Justin Keitt, watched from a distance as his daughter raced. He says he’s glad to see his daughter help expose the industry to diverse talent.
“When she hits the track, she doesn't see color, she doesn't see race, she doesn't see gender, she's locked in. She sees race cars and the color of the race car; that’s it,” Justin Keitt said. “ Other people, on the other hand, they may see a little Black girl out running on the track, and they're definitely surprised when she hits the track because, you know, she is so good, and it's definitely an eye opener.”
It’s vital that NASCAR mirrors the country’s diversity, says Brandon Thompson. He’s NASCAR's vice president of diversity and inclusion.
"That's been the goal for NASCAR for a while. I think we're at a point where we've seen the success of Bubba Wallace, Roger Caruth, Nick Sanchez and other drivers. Daniel Suarez as well, Kyle Larson, these names that we talk about, and it’s working, right?” Thompson said. “Representation matters, and if they say you have to see it to be it a lot of times, and fortunately, we've got something to show.”
After the combine, the staff will work to select drivers who will compete for Rev Racing in various events across the country. The drivers not chosen to be part of the racing season with Rev Racing can apply for the combine for the following year.
