Diversity is a corporate initiative for NASCAR, but if you look at the faces inside the cars, one might seriously doubt that assertion.

Not since Wendell Scott broke the color barrier in 1961 has NASCAR's top series -- a white, male dominated field -- produced a successful black driver, nor a female for that matter.

Quite diversified

Jill George is in many ways unlike the usual Drive for Diversity hopeful. But it hasn't stopped the licensed chiropractor and mother from pursuing a racing career.

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The sport's next Tiger Woods continues to evade NASCAR, the sport with the most loyal fan base of any other major league sport and also with the most involvement by Fortune 500 companies.

Still, NASCAR continues to lag behind while other racing series produce females and minorities. In fact, the Indy Racing League fielded three women in the 2007 Indianapolis 500. However, NASCAR officials and those closely tied to the sport will tell you it just ain't black and white.

NASCAR is the most competitive motor sport and even the talented white boys are going home and left without rides. That said, NASCAR is still trying to do its part to open doors and create opportunity for women competitors and drivers of color who want to make a mark on the sport and change the face of stock-car racing.

The most recent and more publicized initiative is the Drive for Diversity Combine run by Access Marketing & Communications and financially supported by NASCAR.

October marked the fifth year for the program, which selects a class of 24 drivers each year to test in front of a group of NASCAR series officials and team owners. The field is then narrowed to eight. Those eight are promised rides in one of NASCAR's lower-tiered regional series or even the Nationwide or Craftsman Truck series.

The list of drivers will be announced at Charlotte during NASCAR's Media Tour in January.

On the surface, the program is a good idea and helpful according to most team owners and talent scouts. But, critics say, the design of the program is flawed. Lack of large team participation, funds and talent are a few issues the program faces.

Since its inception five years ago, Drive for Diversity has failed to produce a successful Cup driver, admits Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR's managing director of public affairs who oversees the diversity department.

"That's correct," he said. "We have a few drivers who have shown great promise and they continue to develop. Success is measured by opportunities created for the developmental drivers."

Jadotte also said success will be determined by the driver's ability -- not an artificial timeline imposed by the Drive for Diversity program.

"There's no timeline for a D-for-D participant to race in the Nextel [now Sprint]Cup. It will be determined by their talent, skill level and commitment to racing," he said. "The D-for-D program focuses on creating opportunities for drivers. Every race fan knows and understands what it takes to become a Cup driver. It is the most competitive form of racing; I believe it's the most competitive sport in the world."

As for team involvement from dominant organizations such as Hendrick Motorsports, participation is spotty at best, but smaller teams participate and receive an undetermined amount of funding from NASCAR official status partners, namely Allstate, who is one of the sport's largest supporters of diversity.

At the 2007 Drive for Diversity Combine, a two-day test at South Boston, Va., Jadotte said team participation was positive but NASCAR won't force teams to participate.

"We feel good about the mix of teams coming into the program in 2008," said Jadotte, who added that Cup teams Haas CNC Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Chip Ganassi Racing and smaller operations such as Bill McAnally Racing, Eddie Sharp Racing and Jeff Spraker of Spraker Racing Enterprises participated in the combine.

Michelle Theriault

It is important to note, drivers are finding rides from the program.

Last season, Spraker hired Michelle Theriault, a Drive for Diversity participant from 2006, to pilot the Glock Inc.-sponsored ARCA car in '07.

However, in 2008 the car will be piloted by Dexter Bean, a young man from Wisconsin who finished third in the championship point standings.

According to a statement from Theriault's camp, it was "time for a change."

Lorin Ranier, director of development for Chip Ganassi Racing, attended the Drive for Diversity Combine but said he was not shopping for a driver. He was there to support Tiffany Daniels, an aspiring female driver who races Late Models with her family-owned team and also is a Ganassi support engineer at the race shop in Concord, N.C.

Ranier said he was hoping to put in a good word for Daniels at Spraker Racing.

As for drivers to hire at Ganassi, Rainer said, "They have good diversity drivers, but just no one we think are future Cup drivers."

David Hart, spokesman for Richard Childress Racing, said no one from his team attended the event, because if there was a notable talent, team officials would've known about it long before October.

"If there was a talent out there, by the time they get to the combine, someone knows about them and has them under contract," Hart said. "And Richard Childress Racing has people looking for potential drivers, the next big thing, all over the country all the time. We don't need a combine to make that happen."

Joe Gibbs Racing found success in Marc Davis, a black driver and product of the 2006 Drive for Diversity class said to be well on his way to a successful Cup career.

Tiffany Daniels

Hired at Gibbs as a development driver, Davis is enjoying success via the team's diversity program founded by Gibbs and the late Reggie White, an initiative developed in May 2003 in partnership with White, a Hall of Fame defensive end who played in the National Football League. Gibbs formed the diversity program to create a grassroots team that would identify and assist minorities with the desire and talent to make a career in motorsports.

In January 2004, the diversity program became reality. Davis now competes in the NASCAR Busch East and West series.

Before Davis, Chris Bristol -- also a product of the 2006 Drive for Diversity program -- was hired for a short period at Gibbs to run Late Models as part of the Reggie White diversity program, but is now looking for a ride.

Bristol returned to South Boston for this year's combine looking for another shot at success. This year marked his third attempt to make the cut and Bristol said he is fortunate for the opportunity.

"No one is obligated to do anything for diversity," said Bristol, a 29-year-old mechanical engineer and native of Charlotte, N.C.

In addition to RCR, other major teams such as Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports did not attend the combine.

That's not to say they are ambivalent about diversity, but when it comes to a wheelman, or wheelwoman, they seemingly hire the best driver for the job.

Bill McAnally Racing, in partnership with RCR, took a shot on Allison Duncan, a member of the 2005 Drive for Diversity class and self-employed Late Model racer with nine years of experience, as well as Sarah Fisher who now competes in the Indy Racing League.

Hart said Duncan produced results and even won a couple of races, but in 2006 the competition was heightened, team support was lacking and sponsorship became an issue.

More often than not, careers end when the money is gone and when time and mentoring is not available. Funding is even an issue for drivers with fairly deep pockets. Racing is expensive and sponsors want results almost immediately.

Ranier's suggestion: Instead of partially funding eight drivers, cut the Drive for Diversity class and fully fund maybe one or two drivers.

Or, as some fans suggest, why not throw some NASCAR cash at the problem?

Jadotte said the sanctioning body creates opportunity and long term success, not one-hit wonders and short-term buzz.

"Again, we're focused on giving these drivers every opportunity to develop their talent and continue to do that," Jadotte said. "The success of the drivers, like all other drivers, is not determined by NASCAR -- it's determined by their having the time to develop and compete successfully on the track like every other driver."

The sport will not push a minority into a Cup ride before the driver is ready just for the sake of appearing diverse and minority friendly, he said.

"It's not good for the driver or the sport," Jadotte added.

Hart echoed those sentiments. In fact, he said RCR doesn't have a diversity program per se.

"Diversity can have a stigma attached to it," he said. "There's enough pressure to perform and we don't want any added pressure. It's not fair."

When hiring drivers, Hart said two things matter: performance on the track and if the team can build a program and sponsorship around the driver.

Jadotte said, no matter the situation, there is a process to follow.

He sites paths taken by diversity drivers Davis and Jesus Hernandez as successful progressions.

"They are getting support from D-for-D and have gone up the ladder system. That is the way it works," Jadotte said. "It's better for the system to have sustained and long term success."

Hernandez is a poster child for NASCAR's diversity initiative and made a recent appearance for the sport's Urban Youth Racing School and has been a participant of the Drive for Diversity program three years running.

Finishing 14th in NASCAR's 2007 Grand National Division, Busch East Series; Hernandez returned to South Boston Speedway again looking for opportunities as his job as a development driver at Ginn Racing became defunct when the team was bought out by DEI.

Hernandez recently became a development driver for DEI but still tried out for the 2008 Drive for Diversity class. The membership comes with perks: NASCAR support and money.

However the program was not set up for frequent flyers; it's not a destination, Jadotte said.

"We hope they go as far as their talent will take them and set a limit on the overall number of seasons drivers can participate in the program," he said. "Not only will it encourage them to make best of the opportunity, but it will allow others a chance to show their talent."

So while NASCAR on the exterior remains arguably the whitest sport in the country, happenings are taking place behind the scenes that could lead to change. Change that Jadotte hopes will help NASCAR better reflect the fan base and the diverse U.S. population.

On top of the Drive for Diversity program, NASCAR touts the College Tour which visits historically black colleges and universities, the Diversity Internship program and the Urban Youth Racing School.

Will we see a driver of color in the Sprint Cup Series next season?

No, nor will we see a female, but Jadotte is optimistic it will happen eventually.

"I can tell you that developing a professional athlete takes time and NASCAR is no exception," he said. "Clearly, we had a group of talented drivers who put on a great show at the South Boston Speedway and NASCAR is proud to support the 2007 Drive for Diversity Combine."