Editor’s note: This story originally ran May 12. It has been updated.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s victory last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, his second of the season, was more than another triumph for Roush Fenway Racing. It was another sign of success for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.
Three members of Stenhouse’s No. 17 pit crew are graduates of the Drive for Diversity program, having worked themselves up the ladder to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series level. Kevin Richardson is the front tire carrier; Mike Russell serves as the jackman; and Rafael Diaz is the rear tire changer.
“It feels great,” said Richardson, who played football at Appalachian State, about winning at NASCAR’s highest level. “Football, one team is going to win, one team is going to lose. But NASCAR, it’s 40 cars out there. It’s hard to win.”
PHOTOS: Stenhouse celebrates America at Daytona | See Stenhouse Jr.’s Talladega celebration
Both Richardson and Diaz had goals of being professional athletes, but NASCAR wasn’t on the radar. After Richardson got hurt playing football in Canada, he returned home and discovered the sport. A tryout with the Drive for Diversity program came when Richardson heard about it while working at Hendrick Motorsports.
Diaz wanted to be a soccer player, a sport he had played a majority of his life. He, too, got hurt at a young age. Always interested in cars, the Drive for Diversity program was suggested to Diaz while attending the NASCAR Technical Institute.
“I never thought I was going to be doing this for the rest of my life, but it puts you in a spot where anybody can do this if you have the determination,” Diaz said. “The program works if you want it bad enough, and it helps with all those fundamentals you need to have.”
Many associate the Drive for Diversity program, and its success, with opening the door for young drivers looking for an opportunity. Kyle Larson and Darrell Wallace Jr. are two often mentioned having come through it. However, the program is just as useful to developing pit crew members by providing individuals with over the wall training and coaching.
“The program was great because it taught fundamentals, and at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about,” Richardson said. “You can try and do new tricks, new trades, and all that cool stuff, but putting on tires is about being fundamental. NASCAR and football are totally different, especially on the pit crew end.”
RELATED: Pit crew combine provides training ground for athletes
In addition to all three individuals having won twice at the Monster Energy Series level, Richardson and Russell also were part of Chris Buescher’s 2015 XFINITY Series championship team at Roush Fenway.
“The Talladega win was amazing, it was my first Cup win in the seven years I’ve been in the sport,” Russell told NASCAR.com in May. “I’m really fortunate to have been in the position to get my first win because I was asked to fill the position when the team had a primary jackman go out for an injury … I really feel that my training and guidance I got from the Drive for Diversity program set me up for a great future in NASCAR.”
A future Diaz wants to see the Drive for Diversity program make happen for others.
“Starting the program and going to all those races to get experience, from ARCA to trucks, starting at the bottom, and realizing one day you’re going to be able to complete at this level and win these big races everyone wants to win, it’s been a really exciting journey,” Diaz said. “I hope more kids come through it. Anybody can do it, and they’ll get to this level and win races if they want it bad enough. It’s a very good thing we have in NASCAR.”
MORE: Find out about the Drive for Diversity program