Something new: Rev Racing’s Eloy Sebastián López Falcón gaining experience at Summer Shootout

Eloy Sebastián López Falcón has spent his summer in an entirely new world. The 17-year-old driver from Mexico City has spent the last few months racing a Legend car for Rev Racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Summer Shootout. Falcón, who was selected as part of the 2023 NASCAR Drive for Diversity class after capturing the 2022 NASCAR Mexico Truck Series championship, has faced an uphill battle adapting to a new style of racing while also learning an entirely new language. “In Mexico, I drive in the NASCAR Mexico Series. It’s a big car, heavier,” Falcón said. “At Summer Shootout, it’s a small car and obviously on a small track. It’s like a sprint race here. I need to learn that part, how the car works, and obviously another barrier is that I don’t speak very good English.” It’s hard for Falcón to take his experience in Mexico, which began in karting before he ultimately advanced into the NASCAR Mexico Truck Series, and translate it to what he’s been doing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. [caption id="attachment_402032" align="aligncenter" width="1300"] Eloy Sebastian López Falcón is in his first season with Rev Racing as part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)[/caption] Most of the events in Mexico take place on road courses, making the quarter-mile oval on the frontstretch at Charlotte Motor Speedway uncharted territory for Falcón. Luckily, he’s been able to quickly adapt thanks to the support of the Rev Racing team as well as his driver coach, four-time NASCAR Mexico Series champion Rubén Garcia Jr. “I go to the shop every day,” Falcón said. “I do my workouts at Rev Racing and obviously have our debrief after the race so we can see the points where we can be better. That’s the thing that is helping me to learn. Obviously, I have many people that help me with the knowledge that they have. “Practice is very short. All the programs are very short. I need to adapt very fast to this car and learn. All the races have 25 laps. That’s a very short race. I need to improve a little more in qualifying. That’s a problem I have now. That is very difficult for me. In the races we are good. [The racing] is a very high level here.” Without NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, Falcón likely never would have gotten the opportunity to race in the United States. He’s thankful for the opportunity that he hopes one day will lead him to the NASCAR Cup Series like his countryman, Daniel Suárez. [caption id="attachment_402031" align="aligncenter" width="1300"] Eloy Sebastián López Falcón has been racing in the NASCAR Mexico Series while also competing at Charlotte Motor Speedway's Summer Shootout. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)[/caption] “As a Mexican, this is a big opportunity to come here and make a dream come true,” Falcón said. “Obviously my dream is to be a Cup driver. It’s a big opportunity that the Drive for Diversity program gave to me. “For me, I’m very proud to be a Mexican and obviously represent the Latino community.” When the 2023 Summer Shootout season ends on Tuesday (watch live on FloRacing starting at 5 p.m. ET), Falcón’s racing season won’t be over. In addition to his time at Summer Shootout, he’s also been racing in the NASCAR Mexico Series in the Challenge Series, where he recently earned his first victory at Autódromo Miguel E. Abed. He’s also hoping to make his Late Model debut later this year. “When I finish the Summer Shootout I can see the possibility to [enter] some races in a Late Model,” Falcón said. “That’s a challenge for this year and to have a good season in the Summer Shootout.”