Caruth Parlays First Career Pole into First Career Win
Rajah Only Led Two Laps in His Career Prior to the #Win
Rajah Caruth made history by becoming only the third Black driver to win a national series race when he crossed the finish line first in the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 presented by Westgate Resorts NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, joining the likes of hall of famer Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace in the 20th year of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program.
“It’s surreal ... glad to get the win for Team Chevy,” Caruth told FS1 after the race. “I can’t thank my family enough. So many people have helped me get to this point. I can’t believe it.
“There’s more to come, for sure.”
Under the Friday night lights and with his parents watching from the stands at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 21-year-old Caruth, who also claimed his first career pole earlier in the day, led 38 laps for his first career win in 30 starts. Tyler Ankrum, Corey Heim, Taylor Gray and Christopher Bell rounded out the top 5.
“I’m glad I made the most of it tonight and get locked into the playoffs,” Caruth added.
Caruth, Kyle Busch, Nick Sanchez and Ty Majeski each sat in the top 10 when pitting on Lap 102. Caruth and his No. 71 Spire Motorsports team nailed the final pit stop and he went on to take the lead for good 12 laps later.
Majeski led for 40 laps and won the first two stages, but a pit-road speeding penalty late in the race cost the No. 98 Ford valuable track position. Majeski ended up finishing 10th.
Caruth only led two laps in his career prior to the win, which came three days after HendrickCars.com extended its partnership with the No. 71 Chevrolet driver from Washington, D.C. The iRacing aficionado turned heads through the first two weeks of the season with a third-place showing at Daytona International Speedway and an eight-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Caruth, a senior student at Winston-Salem State, stayed in or around the top five for the bulk of the race, including an early battle with Busch in Stage 1. Busch briefly held the lead but told his crew on Lap 21 that his truck was getting tight. He faded back and crossed 15th to close the evening.
The race included 19 lead changes and four cautions.
On Oct. 9, NASCAR and Rev Racing announced the 15 drivers
participating in the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine.
To get to Florence Motor Speedway, you drive through the cotton fields surrounding NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough’s home town, pass a country store called “Becky’s Place” and turn right off East Smith Street.
Follow a sandy dirt road a few hundred yards to the speedway, climb a set of rickety wooden stairs, and you’re on top of the main grandstand at this jewel of a short track.
To the 13 NASCAR Drive for Diversity aspirants who tested their skills in late model stock cars on Wednesday, however, Florence is more than just a 0.4-mile bullring. For them, it’s a Field of Dreams.
Lanie Buice started racing when she was 10-years old, and she hopes her performance in NASCAR’s two-day Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine will continue to advance a career that began with the chance visit to a go-kart shop.
“I was driving with my dad to work one day, and I saw a go-kart shop on the side of the road,” said Buice, now 16, after turning her first laps at Florence. “I had one of those little lawn go-karts when I was younger, and I saw the go-kart shop, and I begged him to take me in…
“The next week, we had a go-kart, and we went to the track. We went every single week and just made laps, made laps, made laps at a lot of different tracks. We tried to move around a lot and tried to develop me.
“I thought I’d be in go-karts forever, but I flipped the go-kart when I was 13 years old—right when COVID hit and we were practicing—and I broke my collarbone. Mama was like, ‘Hey, I think we should try something else.’”
The invitation to the Drive for Diversity Combine affords Buice the opportunity to take the next step in her career under the banner of Rev Racing, the competition arm of the D4D program.
“Being a candidate for the Drive for Diversity is huge to me and my family,” Buice said. “I know it’s a huge deal for other drivers just like me. We don’t have the funding to continue to develop higher-up. Really, I depend on sponsors to put me on the track on the weekends.
“I’ll be extremely thankful if I’m chosen to be one of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers… I don’t want to stop. I want to keep going. I love it.”
Interestingly, the D4D drivers aren’t told their lap times either during or after their runs in the late models. Buice thought she did well but had no way of knowing exactly how fast she ran. That’s by design.
“It matters to us at the end of the day, as far as the evaluation,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR vice president of diversity and inclusion. “But we don’t want them as focused on that, because there are other things that go into the evaluation.
“How are they able to adapt? How are they able to take the feedback and coaching they’re given from the competition staff and apply it and translate that to speed? Also, how consistent they are and how much improvement they may make.”
The evaluations, which include Tuesday’s go-kart session in Concord, N.C., the late model trials in Florence as well as a media component, will determine this year’s D4D class, which will be announced later this year.
“It gives me a lot of freedom to work on iRacing, to go to the gym and continue to try to develop my racing career…
“I absolutely love racing. It is my element. I thrive in it. I love talking to people—everything about it. Being at the race track all the time really helps. I’d rather do that over going to a homecoming or a prom or something—I really don’t have an interest in that.
“I want to be at the race track.”
Fifteen ‘Drive for Diversity Driver Development’ Drivers
Name: TJ DeCaire Age: 16 Hometown: Land O' Lakes, Florida Car type: Pro/Late Model Stock
Name: Regina Sirvent Age: 20 Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico Car type: NASCAR Mexico Challenge, Late Model Stock
Name: Paige Rogers Age: 20 Hometown: New Haven, Indiana Car type: Pro/Late Model Stock
Name: Nathan Lyons Age: 14 Hometown: Concord, North Carolina Car type: U.S. Legend Car
Name: Lucas Vera Age: 16 Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina Car type: U.S. Legend Car
Name: LaQuan McCoy Jr. Age: 12 Hometown: Fort Mill, South Carolina Car type: Bandolero
Name: Lanie Buice Age: 16 Hometown: Jackson, Georgia Car type: Late Model Stock
Name: Justin Campbell Age: 18 Hometown: Griffin, Georgia Car type: Late Model Stock
Name: Jayda Mack Age: 14 Hometown: Chino Hills, California Car type: Pro Late Model
Name: Jalen Mack Age: 18 Hometown: Chino Hills, California Car type: Pro Late Model
Name: Eloy López Falcón Age: 18 Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico Car type: NASCAR Mexico Challenge, U.S. Legend Car
Name: Cassidy Keitt Age: 14 Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina
Car type: U.S. Legend Car
Name: Cameron Carraway Age: 12 Hometown: Castro Valley, California Car type: Restricted Late Model, Micro Sprints
Name: Caleb Johnson Age: 15 Hometown: Denver, Colorado Car type: Pro Late Model, U.S. Legend Car
Name: Arthur Gama Age: 18 Hometown: Porta Alegre, Brazil Car type: NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race
NASCAR and Rev Racing Announce 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Team
Mix of Rev Racing Veterans and Newcomers Selected to Drive ARCA Menards Series and Late Model Cars Next Season
Following a national search for top diverse driver talent, NASCAR and Rev Racing today announced the six ethnically diverse and female drivers selected to the 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program.
The program’s newest class features five drivers who will make their return to Rev Racing next season, including Chase Cabre, Nicholas Sanchez, Gracie Trotter, Rajah Caruth and Isabella Robusto. Late model driver Perry Patino will make his debut with NASCAR Drive for Diversity in 2020.
Caruth and Robusto competed in the 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program and raced Legends cars for Rev Racing at this year’s Bojangles’ Summer Shootout in Charlotte, N.C. They also ran five other races with Rev Racing as part of the youth program.
“We are very enthusiastic about the progress we continue to make with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program, and the 2020 class exemplifies the evolution of the program,” said Jusan Hamilton, Director, Racing Operations and Event Management at NASCAR. “We were extremely impressed with the confidence, competitive drive and raw talent of the drivers that competed at this year’s combine, which made the selection process challenging for us. Our partners at Rev Racing work hard every year to develop the best diverse drivers around the world. To see familiar faces in this class that have grown and advanced through the youth ranks of the program bolsters our belief that we will see some of these same drivers at the top levels of NASCAR in the future.”
The six drivers were selected from a group of invitees that competed in the two-day NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Combine in October at Daytona International Speedway and New Smyrna Speedway.
The combine included fitness assessments and evaluations of each driver’s marketing and media skills. The on-track portion tested the drivers’ abilities behind the wheel and proficiencies in late model stock cars. Representatives from NASCAR and Rev Racing were on-hand to evaluate the talent and determine the 2020 team.
“We have seen great success this past year with our drivers having multiple wins in every series we participated in this season,” said Max Siegel, Owner of Rev Racing. “Our returning drivers have certainly set the bar high. We are all excited to welcome the new members of this year’s class to the Rev Racing family and continue the momentum moving into the 2020 season.”
Caruth, Patino, Robusto and Trotter will compete in a NASCAR Late Model, while Cabre and Sanchez will compete in the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Showdown Series in 2020.
Competing in a late model stock car will be a first for drivers like Caruth, whose background is in iRacing, and Robusto, who has experience racing Legends cars.
Caruth will become the first driver with an iRacing background to be selected for the program. He is a product of the eNASCAR IGNITE Series — a first-of-its kind esports competition created to identify young talent by providing a low barrier of entry to the sport.
NASCAR Drive for Diversity provides opportunities for women and minorities to pursue career opportunities in NASCAR in the driver’s seat and on pit crews through the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development Program and off the track through the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program.
The 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development team includes:
Chase Cabre: The 22-year-old from Tampa, Fla., will join Rev Racing for his fourth-consecutive racing season and compete in the ARCA Menards Series East. Cabre won twice in 2019 in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
Rajah Caruth: In just 42 starts, Caruth, 17, of Washington, D.C., has twice won races in the eNASCAR IGNITE Series, driving the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1/Ford Mustang. Additionally, he earned two heat wins with Rev Racing in the 2019 Bojangles’ Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Perry Patino: The 20-year-old, Montgomery, Ala., native will join Rev Racing for the first time with one Limited Late Model win at Montgomery Speedway and the 2018 Limited Late Model championship under his belt.
Isabella Robusto: The 15-year-old won the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout in the Semi-Pro class in 2019 and finished second in Semi-Pro points. The Fort Mill, S.C., native was honored with the Young Racer award at the 2018 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards.
Nicholas Sanchez: The 18-year-old Miami native returns to Rev Racing for his fourth-consecutive season after winning at Myrtle Beach Speedway and Langley Speedway in a Late Model Stock Car in 2019.
Gracie Trotter: Denver, N.C., native, Gracie Trotter, 18, returns to Rev Racing as the 2019 Winter Heat Series champion at Charlotte Motor Speedway. She also won Round 5 of the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout in the Semi-Pro Division.
Application Deadline Approaches For 2018 NASCAR Drive For Diversity Driver Combine
Each year the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program along with its competition arm, Rev Racing, seeks to obtain the highest quality of applicants representing diverse backgrounds and develop them into successful NASCAR drivers.
This selection process begins with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Combine. Drivers will have the opportunity to submit a digital application on RevRacing.net, highlighting racing experience, references and historical success. Ethnically diverse and female drivers have until September 7, 2018 to be considered for the 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity program. Youth program participants, ages 12-17, are required to apply by October 30, 2018.
— NASCAR Drive for Diversity (@NASCARDiversity) August 16, 2018
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
• Be a female or member of one or more of the following ethnic minority classifications:
American Indian, Alaskan Native or of native/indigenous descent; Asian or Pacific Islander; Black or African-American; Latino or Hispanic
• Be at least 15 years of age but no older than 26 years of age as of October 15th of the present year
• Be legally eligible to work in the United States. Drivers from foreign countries are welcome to apply, however, if the applicant is not already a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident alien, the applicant must be legally capable of traveling to the designated location in the United States to participate in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Combine. Applicants must also be able to obtain necessary authorization to accept employment in the United States if selected to participate in the Drive for Diversity Program.
NASCAR Drive for Diversity aligns its drivers with a team of executives, athletic trainers, crew chiefs and mentors helping them achieve professional success, and thus improving their likelihood fo reaching one of the three NASCAR national series. Selected drivers will compete in the NASCAR K&N pro Series East, NASCAR Whelen All-American Series or Bojangles' Summer Shootout Series.
Rev Racing has continued to find success with its current drivers and alumni. In 2018, the Drive for Diversity Program made a major impact, seeing three of its graduates (Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez and Bubba Wallace) compete at the sport’s highest level in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Since the Drive for Diversity Program’s inception, Rev Racing has earned 17 wins, 85 top 5s, and 168 top 10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, with drivers finishing in the top 10 in points every season. Current NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver Ruben Garcia Jr. made his first trip to victory lane at Memphis International Raceway in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in June.
To find more information about the 2018 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine or submit an application, please visit:
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series.
The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe.
For more information visit: http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About REV RACING:
Headquartered in Concord, NC, Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and female drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit http://revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.
The Drive for Diversity Combine invites 12 of the country’s best up-and-coming minority or female racers. This year there were four females, six Hispanics, a Haitian-American and an African-American comprising the group and looking to seize this opportunity.
Out of this dozen, four drivers will be chosen to have full season, fully funded rides for Rev Racing — three of them in the NASCAR K&N Series and another in the Whelen All-American Series. The winners are typically announced in January during NASCAR’s national media tour.
2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine participants at NASCAR
headquarters on October 16, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Max Seigel, CEO of Rev Racing speaks to participants of the NASCAR
Drive for Diversity Combine at NASCAR headquarters
2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants Fabian Welter (l),
Ryan Vargas (c) and Armani Williams at Bethune Cookman University
2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants at Bethune Cookman
University on October 16, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants workout at Bethune
Cookman University on October 16, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants pose for photos
at Daytona International Speedway on October 16, 2017
2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants Brittany Zamora (l),
Colin Cabre (c) and Ernie Francis Jr. at Bethune Cookman University
Brent Dewar, NASCAR president (l) Max Siegel, CEO of Rev Racing (c)
and Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR Racing Operations at the NASCAR
Drive for Diversity Combine at NASCAR headquarters
NASCAR Drive for Diversity Announces 2017 Driver Class
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.
"Now more than ever, we’re seeing the impact of NASCAR’s development program in producing drivers who excel at the highest echelons of our sport," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. "There’s a great deal of talent and potential in this year’s class. With the strong foundation that NASCAR Drive for Diversity provides, these drivers will have the opportunity to develop the skills needed to elevate their racing careers."
The 2017 class is led by four returning drivers, Collin Cabre, Jay Beasley, Madeline Crane and Rubén García Jr., who first competed in stock car racing in his native Mexico. Collin’s younger brother, Chase Cabre, joins 16-year-old Macy Causey as this year’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity newcomers. Causey’s grandmother, Diane Teel, was the first woman to compete in a NASCAR XFINITY Series race in 1982.
Rev Racing, the operational arm of NASCAR Drive for Diversity, will field four teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and two in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
The 2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity roster features:
Collin Cabre: An impressive second year in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program was highlighted by four top-five and six top-10 finishes and a sixth-place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship standings. After winning the 2015 season finale at Dover International Speedway, Cabre was named to the 2016-2017 NASCAR Next class. The 23-year-old from Tampa, Florida, will compete in his third season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East with Rev Racing.
Chase Cabre: Cabre, 20, registered 12 race wins in 21 starts in a 600 Mini Sprint Car and is a two-time Fall Brawl Champion at Florida’s Ocala Bullring. In 2016, he averaged a fourth-place finish in races at Hickory Motor Speedway and set two poles during the season. Chase will compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in his rookie season with Rev Racing.
Rubén García Jr.: At age 20, the Mexico City native became the youngest NASCAR PEAK Mexico driver to win the series championship in 2015. García was also part of the NASCAR Next program in both 2015 and 2016. He returns to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East after finishing 10th in the series last season.
Jay Beasley: Beasley, 24, made history in 2013 by becoming the first African-American driver to win a Super Late Model race at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his first season with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program in 2014, he earned two top-five and five top-10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He returns to the series for his third season with Rev Racing.
Macy Causey: Causey was honored with the NASCAR Young Racer Award in 2016. The year prior, she won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Virginia Rookie of the Year Award and earned top rookie honors at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia, where in 1978 her grandmother became the first woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race at the track. Causey will compete for Rev Racing in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series.
Madeline Crane: The Georgia native began her career racing Bandoleros at Atlanta Motor Speedway at age 10. Crane, 19, moved into Legend cars, and by the time she was 14 had garnered 59 top-five finishes in 82 starts. Returning for a second season with NASCAR Drive for Diversity, she will compete in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series following two top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 2016.
NASCAR Drive for Diversity aligns drivers with a team of executives, athletic directors, crew chiefs and mentors tasked with helping them achieve career successes, and thus improving their goal of reaching one of the three NASCAR national series.
Since it began fielding NASCAR Drive for Diversity cars in 2010, Rev Racing has been one of the most consistent teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, registering 17 wins, 65 top-five and 124 top-10 finishes with drivers finishing in the top-10 in points each season.
"Each year the applicant pool and talent level rises and our program continues to evolve and create more opportunities for advancement," said Max Siegel, CEO and owner of Rev Racing. "NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Rev Racing are proud of the impact that we have had in the sport and we look forward to graduating the next generation of athletes to the national series."
The 2016 NASCAR season was a historic year for NASCAR Drive for Diversity alumni. Larson, who is Asian-American, became the first program graduate to win a race and reach the playoffs in the sport’s premier series, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
With his NASCAR XFINITY Series victory at Michigan International Speedway, Suárez was the first Mexican-born driver to win a national series race, and last November he became the first foreign-born driver to win a national series championship. Suárez will make his debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2017.
The 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener will take place on Feb. 19 at New Smyrna Speedway, where Rev Racing scored a win with Suárez in 2014.
For more information on NASCAR Drive for Diversity, visit NASCARDiversity.com.
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Rev Racing
Headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, Rev Racing is owned by Max Siegel and operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities, women drivers, and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit www.revracing.net and follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.
Who's Who And What's What In Touring & Weekly Series
It takes a special blend of talent, ambition and perseverance to rise to the top levels in NASCAR racing. But there are opportunities everywhere.
GRASSROOTS RACING: NASCAR WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES
A network of nearly 60 race tracks across North America comprises the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series – and provides the first step. NASCAR-sanctioned short track races are held on dirt and asphalt tracks of all shapes and sizes. A national championship is awarded, along with U.S. state and Canadian province championships, rookies of the year, and track championships.
In this locally-based series, many drivers race as a weekend hobby on their hometown tracks, while others move up the ladder. Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin all began their careers in this series.
In 2011, NASCAR lowered the minimum age to 14 to run in all NASCAR Whelen All-American Series sanctioned track, further cementing the series status as the foundation for drivers looking to make their way up the NASCAR ladder.
Anthony Anders became the third driver from South Carolina to win the Whelen All-American Series Division I championship in 2014. NASCAR also crowned national champions in Div. II through V. In 2013, Lee Pulliam became just the third driver to win multiple national titles with his second straight championship season. He joined four-time champion Philip Morris and the late Larry Phillips (five titles) in that exclusive class.
Asphalt modifieds (top left), similar to the cars run on the Modified tour, are popular in the northeast; NASCAR has eight sanctioned short-tracks which run on dirt (top right); Late Model Stock Cars (bottom left) are prevalent as the top divisions in the southeast, midwest and west coast; while a number of track run a version of a dirt Modified (bottom right) on aspahlt.
THE NEXT LEVEL: REGIONAL SERIES OFFER DRIVER DEVELOPMENT
• NASCAR K&N Pro Series, East and West • NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour • NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
For local short track competitors who aspire to reach NASCAR’s three national series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – NASCAR’s regional series are the place to go. These regional series compete on a variety of tracks, providing valuable experience for up-and-coming drivers, while providing special events for local fans.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series, which includes the East and the West (#KNEast and #KNWest), is the top step in NASCAR’s developmental series before drivers make the jump to the three national series. For NASCAR K&N Pro Series racers, new cost-saving technology makes this division a more cost-effective driver development program.
An optional “spec” engine was introduced in 2006. It is designed to be powerful and durable, yet is made from a preciselyspecified set of components that help to keep engine costs down. A composite body, molded from synthetic materials, is also available as an alternative to expensive sheet metal bodies. These items help teams control costs while providing them the opportunity to advance from their hometown short tracks to the next level. In 2007, the minimum age for the touring series was lowered from 18 to 16, allowing for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series to become a proving ground for drivers signed by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams to development deals. The minimum age was lowered to 15 in 2011.
Since 2007, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series has been the key feeder system for the influx of new talent to NASCAR’s three national series, including 2011 Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne, Ryan Blaney, Austin and Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ryan Truex, Darrell Wallace Jr. and others.
Dylan Kwasniewski won the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship, becoming the first driver to win the NASCAR K&N Pro West and East crowns. Derek Thorn won his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West title.
NASCAR’s two open-wheel series are found on the East Coast. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (#NWMT) traces its roots back to the very first NASCAR race, held in Daytona Beach, Fla. in 1948.
Many of the early NASCAR race cars were “modified” and the division evolved from there. Today, these unique race cars remain wildly popular along the Eastern Seaboard. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competes across the Northeast while the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour (#NWSMT) races throughout the Southern states.
Many of the early NASCAR race cars were “modified” and the division evolved from there. Today, these unique race cars remain wildly popular among race fans. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competes across the Northeast while the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour races throughout the Southern states.
Nine-time champion Richie Evans, nicknamed the “Rapid Roman” because of his roots in Rome, N.Y., was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012. In May of 2015, Evans' long-time rival, Jerry Cook, a six-time Modified champion also from Rome, was elected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
In 2014, Doug Coby took home his second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship, while Andy Seuss finally earned his first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour title after finishing in the top five in points each of the previous five years -- including two runner-up seasons.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
• NASCAR Mexico Series
• NASCAR Whelen Euro Series
NASCAR’s international initiative has helped bring the exciting and fanfriendly entertainment of NASCAR stock-car racing to Canada, Mexico and Europe. These series also provide new opportunities to international drivers and teams to showcase their talents in the NASCAR system.
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (#NCATS), which features cars similar to those used on the former CASCAR Super Series, operates throughout Canada with a schedule from May to October. [right]
The NASCAR Mexico Series (#NMS) features cars similar to those used in Late Model classes at short tracks in the U.S., with fiberglass composite bodies and spec engines. [bottom right]
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (#NWES) enters its fourth season under the NASCAR banner in 2015. While competing primarily on historic European road courses such as Brands Hatch (England), Valencia (Spain), Magione (Italy) and Zolder (Belgium), also competes on the first purpose-built oval for NASCAR stock cars in Tours, France, in addition to a inaugural race at Venray in Holland.[bottom left]
All three international championships came down to the wire in 2014.
LP Dumoulin won his first NASCAR title by edging JR Fitzpatrick by just three points for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series crown. Anthony Kumpen of Belgium knocked off two-time champion Ander Vilarino by just one point in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series championship. In the second year of the Desafío – Mexico’s five-race playoff – Abraham Calderon claimed his first NASCAR championship by nine points over Ruben Garcia Jr.
NASCAR NEXT
An overarching industry initiative to spotlight NASCAR's rising stars before they reach the sport’s top levels, the NASCAR Next program (#NASCARNext) has helped identify some of the sport’s top young talent.
“This program has made great strides in a short time,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR vice president, industry services. “The evolution of NASCAR Next builds on that success with the influx of young, talented drivers continuing throughout all of NASCAR’s racing series. This program provides a platform to help foster their growth within our sport, and introduce these young and talented drivers to NASCAR fans who will likely be hearing more about them in years to come.”
Now in its fifth season, the career résumé of NASCAR Next alumni is impressive, highlighted by Chase Elliott’s 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series championship, Kyle Larson’s 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, and Cole Custer’s September 2014 win at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, making him the youngest winner in NASCAR national series history.
Of the 28 drivers previously selected for the program, 21 have raced in one of NASCAR’s three national series (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), and 11 are competing full-time there in 2015.
The team was assembled through a thorough process that included separate nominating and voting panels. Drivers must be between the ages of 15-25, have tangible and expressed goals in eventual competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and possess the skillset to realize that goal.
Additionally, each driver in NASCAR Next must be actively competing in a NASCAR touring or weekly series – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East or West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Euro Series or NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitors also are eligible providing they are in the first full-time season in their respective series.
The 2015-16 NASCAR Next class consists of Rico Abreu, Nicole Behar, Kyle Benjamin, James Bickford, William Byron, Cole Custer, Ruben Garcia Jr., Austin Hill, Jesse Little, Dylan Lupton, John Hunter Nemechek and Dalton Sargeant.
DRIVE FOR DIVERSITY / REV RACING
Drive for Diversity is the industry’s leading development program for minority and female drivers and crew members. Managed by Max Siegel Inc., the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program (#D4D2015) currently supports drivers in two of NASCAR’s developmental series – the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Drive for Diversity also supports crew member candidates through a year-long pit crew training program. Crew members have gone on to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, brings together championship caliber executives, competition staff and equipment in a unique academy-style environment. Rev Racing currently operates four NASCAR K&N Pro Series East teams and two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series teams. In addition, Rev Racing manages a youth racing initiative that allows kids ages 8-14 to compete in the INEX Bandolero and INEX Legend cars. The team also trains aspiring female and minority pit crew athletes through the Drive for Diversity Crew Member Development program presented by Sprint.
The NASCAR-Approved Spec Engine is an alternative for competitors in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, and NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. It is also an option for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at select tracks.
During the 2012 season over 350 Spec engines ran in competition across all the series and tours. Combined they produced 36 victories, 207 top-five finishes and 362 top ten finishes; with teams reporting an average annual cost savings of between 30-40% when compared to buying, maintaining and running “built” engine options.
Born in 1957 in Belgium, it was after a trip at the age of seven that my love for NASCAR caught hold of me! It was the 1964 World 600 in Charlotte. Since NASCAR it's my life! A large collection of objects and papers make up my personal little NASCAR museum.
Passionate about the history and statistics of NASCAR, I have contributed to numerous magazines and websites mainly in French language (Europe and Canada). One of my greatest pride is my full-time collaboration at racing-reference.info from 2003 to 2021.
Today I continue to write for fun and it's with joy that I join nascarracemom.com as contributor. .
For local short track competitors who aspire to reach NASCAR’s three national series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – NASCAR’s regional series are the place to go. These regional series compete on a variety of tracks, providing valuable experience for up-and-coming drivers, while providing special events for local fans.
NASCAR’s international initiative has helped bring the exciting and fanfriendly entertainment of NASCAR stock-car racing to Canada, Mexico and Europe. These series also provide new opportunities to international drivers and teams to showcase their talents in the NASCAR system.
An overarching industry initiative to spotlight NASCAR's rising stars before they reach the sport’s top levels, the NASCAR Next program (#NASCARNext) has helped identify some of the sport’s top young talent.
