Diversity Class Introduced after Awards Presentation

Reporters met the 2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity class in the Daytona media center on Saturday. The class includes Collin Cabre and Chase Cabre, the first siblings ever to participate in the same D4D class; Ruben Garcia Jr., the youngest driver to win the NASCAR Peak Mexico Series championship (in 2015 at age 20); Jay Beasley, the first African-American driver to win a Super late Model race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway bullring; Madeline Crane, who posted 59 top-fives in 82 starts in Legend cars; and Macy Causey, the granddaughter of Diane Teel, the first female driver to compete in  what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

The introduction of the 2017 Drive For Diversity class followed a luncheon that featured the presentation of tenth annual NASCAR Diversity Awards. Winners were as follows:

Daniel Suarez—NASCAR Ignition Award.

Jesse Iwuji—NASCAR Diverse Driver Award

Peri Karslioglu—NASCAR Diversity Internship Participant Award

Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA)—NASCAR Institution Award

Hallie Deegan—Young racer Award

Smithfield—NASCAR Partner Award

Kenyatta Houston—NASCAR Diverse Crew Member Award

Pocono Raceway—NASCAR Track Award

Patriot Motorsports/Circle Track Racing—NASCAR Team Award

Josh Avila—Industry Ambassador Award

Daniel Suarez Should Provide Inspiration for New NASCAR Drive for Diversity Class

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez poses for a photo during the NASCAR 2017 Media Tour at the Charlotte Convention Center on January 25, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

If the members of the 2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity class need a beacon to guide them or a story to inspire them, they need look no further than Daniel Suarez.

Unexpectedly, and at least a year ahead of schedule, Suarez earned a battlefield promotion into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series when Carl Edwards shocked the racing world with the January announcement that he was stepping away from racing. Continue reading

Drive For Diversity Announces Driver Class

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Photo – Getty Images

Six Drivers Selected to Join Rev Racing in Sport’s Top Development Program

After a season of milestones for NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates competing across NASCAR national series, the industry’s flagship development program for multicultural and female drivers has announced that six drivers will join its 2017 class. The drivers were selected after a competitive combine held last October at New Smyrna Speedway and will compete for Rev Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

The 2017 class features a former NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series champion, the granddaughter of one of the sport’s female pioneers, and NASCAR Drive for Diversity’s first sibling teammates. The drivers will attempt to follow in the footsteps of program graduates and current national series drivers Kyle Larson, Darrell Wallace Jr., and 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Daniel Suárez. Continue reading