DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — 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.

RELATED: ARCA Menards Series East schedule set for 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: The Denver, N.C., native, 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.

Nick Sanchez finished his race season about a month ago feeling good about what he had learned in his rookie late model season.

He recently received more accolades to make his first year racing in Division I of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series even more special.

Sanchez is the 2019 recipient of the Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award, an annual award given to an outstanding minority or female driver in the Whelen All-American Series. The award recipient is selected by a committee as nominated by drivers, crew members, and track operators based not only on the driver’s final standings in the top 500 of the national standings, but also based on exceptional on-track performance, sportsmanship, and community service.

The award is named for Wendell Scott, a Virginian who on December 1, 1963 became the first, and to date only, African-American driver to win a race in NASCAR’s top national series.

Scott was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.

Sanchez said he got a call from a NASCAR official about a week ago out of the blue to learn he won the award. He will officially receive the award Saturday on stage at the Charlotte Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the NASCAR Awards.

“Honestly it was a total surprise because I really hadn’t thought much of it and I was so focused on just trying to win and the unreal idea of trying to go for a national championship and I totally forgot about that award,” Sanchez said. “And when someone told me about it I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ That’s an awesome accomplishment as well.”

Sanchez drives for Rev Racing, the competition arm of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program that serves as the NASCAR-supported racing team that develops female and minority drivers and pit crew members in development series for future competition at NASCAR’s highest levels.

The 18-year-old Miami, Florida, driver got his start with Rev Racing running in its Legends Car program before moving up to Late Models this year. He credited his team with helping him win the Wendell Scott award.

“It feels pretty good and especially how it’s a performance-based award, it really shows that my Rev guys brought a good late model the whole year,” he said. “I’m pretty excited for it. It’s a nice accomplishment.”

Sanchez finished 23rd in the Whelen All-American Series Division I final points standings. He had one national points win and 15 top-5 finishes in 20 late model starts this season.

Related: Nick Sanchez Picks Up First Late Model Win, Set His Sights on National Honors

Sanchez also ran three races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this year, and had a pole start at South Boston Speedway on May 4.

In the late model, Sanchez and his Rev Racing team traveled to five different tracks this season: Motor Mile, South Boston, and Langley Speedways in Virginia, Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina, and Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina. He also raced at Loudon Speedway in New Hampshire in a K&N Pro East race on September 21. Getting the chance to see his fair share of different sized tracks with character gave him the opportunity to really dive in and get his feet wet in his first season.

“I couldn’t imagine racing at one track with the same people, just the same routine,” Sanchez said. “I love getting different challenges thrown at me, whether it be different tracks, different drivers, different races, twins or long races. I can attribute all that to my success I guess you could say this year.

“Definitely stepping into the K&N car, especially that last race at New Hampshire I definitely got a ton of big track experience and definitely got my feet wet there which I’m pretty stoked about.”

Sanchez finished his season with a win at Langley Speedway, helping finish the year on a high note. After feeling like he missed out on victories early in the year, he was glad to see he had gotten past early “rookie mistakes.”

“Honestly, by the end of the year I felt like I progressed more as a driver than I ever had,” Sanchez said. “I was a lot more patient at the end of the year because at the beginning of the year, I’m not going to lie, I gave up many, many, many wins just on not knowing any better. By the end of the year I kind of learned my lesson and revamped my racing mindset, I guess you could say.”

Sanchez said he hopes to be able to release his plans for the 2020 soon, and he’s “very stoked” about it.

For now, he has many reasons to be proud of his rookie season.

“That makes it a lot more special just knowing people voted for me based on performance and everything else,” Sanchez said. “It’s a pretty nice accomplishment. I’m pretty proud.”

Journalism students see NASCAR’s ‘drive for diversity’ up close at Homestead-Miami

Students from Florida Memorial University’s National Association of Black Journalists chapter went behind the scenes for an immersive reporting experience during NASCAR Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The annual opportunity organized by NASCAR Multicultural Development and Homestead-Miami Speedway allows budding journalists the opportunity to engage with professional media members and get hands-on experience covering the fast-paced world of NASCAR.

Student journalist Joshua Parker produced this piece about NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiatives.

Nicholas Sanchez walked to the Rev Racing transporters in the New Smyrna Speedway infield looking for a bottle of water and a chance to take a deep breath. A huge smile on his face and maybe a little swagger in his step, Sanchez said he was just told he was quickest of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity candidates in their first on-track test session Wednesday morning.

“The car felt good and I’m really happy,’’ Sanchez said before joining the others for lunch during a break in action Wednesday afternoon.

The quick start was encouraging for the 18-year old Sanchez, originally from Miami but now living in Cornelius, North Carolina, to be closer to NASCAR’s traditional North Carolina hub. His background and his hopes are so typical of the 10 young racers invited to participate in this prestigious NASCAR combine.

There was a distinctive feeling of camaraderie among the competitors walking the track with evaluator and former NASCAR driver Mark Green before climbing in the cars for their first laps. For some of these young drivers, this combine is the first “chance of a lifetime” to show their skills on track and their personalities away from the track – both important to landing an opportunity to compete for Rev Racing in the NASCAR Late Model Stock, ARCA Menards Series East or Menards Showdown Series in 2020.

RELATED: Scenes from the Drive for Diversity combine

And their names are becoming familiar to those scouting the next generation of stock car talent.

Ryan Vargas, 19, a Californian who is now living in Concord, North Carolina, is back at the combine for the third time, only months removed from making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut this summer. He started 23rd and finished 17th  in his first career national series start at the .875-mile Iowa Speedway in July. Then four weeks later showed his range of talent with an 18th-place finish on the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Road America road course after starting 33rd. He is a shining example of opportunity meeting promise and his achievements this year were cited and praised often by his fellow combine drivers.

At only 14-years old, Isabella Robusto, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, is the youngest candidate participating in the combine which incorporates a day of media and marketing training with a second day of on-track evaluation. For Rubusto the chance to drive in a late model stock car and absorb tips and motivations from her fellow racers was a huge reward in and of itself.

She comes from a Legends car background and – along with Rajah Caruth, 17, of Washington D.C. and Lavar Scott, 16, of Carney’s Pointe, New Jersey – was actually part of the Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Combine held earlier this year in Concord, North Carolina, for younger talent. She laughs explaining her start in racing – weekends with her father watching racing in the Carolinas and eventually putting together a full go-kart team before sharing the news with her mom that she was going to be competing in the sport.

Rubusto smiles telling the story of her start in the sport and said the family support has been solid and encouraging. Her whole community is beginning to realize how seriously she takes this pursuit. And that includes her school, where she is a straight-A ninth grader already taking more advanced science and math classes.

“I haven’t had a teacher that didn’t support me,’’ Rubusto said smiling.

Although she’s a “veteran” of sorts in the Drive for Diversity Youth Program, stepping up this weekend to the higher levels is a significant development for the young teen, who is approaching things with a measured approach.

“This is more of a learning weekend I’d say, to get used to the cars more,’’ Rubusto said. “I’ve been working on shifting and getting back to the gas. It’s so much different than the Legends cars.

“It’s crazy how much competition there is between the 10 of us. Most of us have raced with each other before – Gracie [Trotter], Nick [Sanchez], Chase [Cabre] , Rajah [Caruth] – we all race against each other but we’re friends at the same time.’’

“It’s crazy how much competition there is between the 10 of us. Most of us have raced with each other before – Gracie [Trotter], Nick [Sanchez], Chase [Cabre] , Rajah [Caruth] – we all race against each other but we’re friends at the same time.’’

That’s the definitive vibe. All these young drivers feel a mutual support system. But there is still a competitive element driving each of the racers. They are friendly at the track, but the big prize in a high-profile NASCAR series awaits and so performance and focus is key.

Many of his fellow drivers – and evaluators – already knew Caruth’s name even before he arrived in Daytona Beach. An eNASCAR Ignite Series standout, Caruth is now putting those virtual skills to use behind a real car. And earning praise.

“iRacing definitely has helped me a lot in terms of it being the first thing I started on and being able to race any race car in the world and learn different techniques, different driving styles, different crafts you wouldn’t get anywhere else,’’ Caruth said.

“It’s been pivotal and very helpful to me just to teach me the basics and especially some habits and tendencies you can carry over to real life and some you can’t – so that’s one of the things I was dealing with this summer, figuring out what translates and what doesn’t. But definitely wouldn’t be here without it.’’

For the 16-year old Scott, laps at New Smyrna’s famous half-mile in a late model couldn’t be more different than what he’s used to driving as a competitor in the 600 Micro Sprint Series around the Delaware and Pennsylvania dirt-tracks.

As with all these candidates, he has an intriguing backstory. His family actually comes from a drag racing background and Scott considers his mom to be the star of his racing family. His path to dirt track racing – and now cars – was more of an unintended series of events.

His older brother was too young to start drag racing and so the family let him race on dirt at the age of 5. Scott followed suit a couple years later. They loved the dirt racing so much, neither brother wanted to stick to the original plan of converting to drag racing. And now Scott has the opportunity of a lifetime with NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program.

In fact, Scott is optimistic that his diverse background will actually help him. As with so many of his fellow Diversity candidates this week, he raised the name of a fellow Diversity graduate as proof – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Larson, who has advanced to the Round of 8 in the Cup Playoffs.

“It’s been very humbling meeting everyone here,’’ Scott said. “Ryan Vargas has already been in an Xfinity race, so it gives me hope there’s a chance I could be there too.”

“When I was younger, I always looked at Kyle Larson because he came from dirt, sprint cars. He came from exactly where I’m at – now he’s in the Cup Series and if he can do it, I can do it and if I can do it, maybe some kid feels he can do it.”

“It can open a lot of doors.’’

And already has.

Leaders from across the sports industry gathered at Daytona International Speedway this week to discuss the industry’s efforts to advance diversity and inclusion as part of the 2019 Sports Diversity & Inclusion Symposium.

Each year, the event serves as a forum for sports executives and diversity and inclusion practitioners to discuss, evaluate and create tangible solutions that drive greater diversity and inclusion in today’s sports culture. The symposium includes prominent leaders from major, minor and amateur sports organizations and features panel sessions, networking opportunities and open discussions for the two-day event.

RELATED: Latest news in NASCAR Drive for Diversity

Since 2012, NASCAR has been a founding member of the Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium alongside major U.S. sports leagues and other sports organizations. This year, led by its Multicultural Development department, NASCAR hosted the group’s annual symposium for the first time.

“Serving as host for the 2019 Sports Diversity and Inclusion Symposium was an honor,” said Dawn Harris, senior director of multicultural development at NASCAR. “The opportunity to convene thought leaders to discuss diversity and inclusion and its impact across the industry as related to innovation and growth was relevant and timely. I appreciate each of our forty panelists and moderators who gave their time and expertise to advance this important topic.”

NASCAR President Steve Phelps joined senior leaders from the PGA Tour, PGA of America, LPGA, USTA and Minor League Baseball on Wednesday for a panel discussion on league efforts to reach diverse fans and other communities and foster inclusive environments for employees.

Jusan Hamilton, in his first full year as series director for NASCAR’s Esports series, shared his perspective on leveraging Esports to connect with diverse audiences next to ESPN’s Katie Barnes and Major League Soccer’s Bion West. Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile hosted lunch on Tuesday and addressed the symposium attendees alongside Erin Pellegrino of the Ross Institute in Sports for Equality (RISE).

Additional speakers included David Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, title sponsor of WWT Raceway at Gateway; Dr. Richard Lapchick, director of the Institute for Sport & Social Justice; Julia Landauer, driver in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series; and TJ Adeshola, head of U.S. sports partnerships at Twitter.

Participating members of the Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium include: ESPN, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, Professional Golfers’ Association of America, PGA Tour, Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality, United States Olympic Committee, United States Tennis Association and You Can Play.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After thorough evaluation of athletes from universities across the country, NASCAR and Rev Racing have chosen seven participants to join the 2019-20 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program.

The former collegiate athletes were selected based on a fitness assessment held in May at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina. The assessment tested their agility, strength and flexibility, followed by the participants learning the different crew member positions during a pit stop simulation.

Those selected will relocate to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a six-month pit crew training program led by Phil Horton, Rev Racing’s director of athletic performance. They will train to become tire changers, carriers and jackmen, with hopes of one day earning a spot on a national series race team.

NASCAR Drive for Diversity provides opportunities for women and minorities to pursue career opportunities in NASCAR on pit crews, in the driver’s seat through the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program and off the track through the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program.

“We are inspired by the level of athletes we’re seeing enter the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR’s director of racing operations and event management. “With a wider range of colleges and universities partnering with NASCAR and Rev Racing on this program, the talent pool continues to expand and so does the pathway for each of the new members to achieve success with top race teams.”

Dalanda Ouendeno is among this year’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program participants. Ouendeno was a standout defender on the University of Miami women’s soccer team before trying out for a pit crew development role with Rev Racing.

Virginia natives Hadji Gaylord and Raynard Revels will also join the 2019-20 class after competing together as teammates on Norfolk State University’s football team.

“We look forward to welcoming this year’s class to NASCAR’s most comprehensive pit crew training and development program,” Rev Racing CEO Max Siegel said. “We couldn’t be prouder of the journey both our pit crew development program and graduates have taken from its inception. With the expansion of our recruiting efforts across the country, the talent level rises, and our program continues to evolve and create more opportunities for advancement at a higher level.”

In July 2019, NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program graduates Rojelio Ramirez, Omar Grimaldo and current program member Michael Hayden celebrated their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win when driver Justin Haley took the checkered flag at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Through the years, the program has developed pit crew athletes who work on teams every race weekend. Since its inception, more than 100 athletes have participated in the program and more than 65 graduates have worked in the sport on the national level. More than 50 graduates are currently pitting on a national level and more than 30 are competing in the sport’s top series.

The 2019-20 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program participants include:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Following a national talent search at universities across the country, NASCAR and Rev Racing have invited 12 collegiate athletes to compete for roles as tire changers, carriers and jackmen at the fourth annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine in Concord, North Carolina, on Friday, May 24.

The annual event will be held at the NASCAR Research and Development Center and features athletes from colleges and universities across the nation with aspirations of a professional career in NASCAR. This year’s competitors include football, soccer and baseball student-athletes.

Led by Phil Horton, Rev Racing director of athletic performance, the four-hour combine will test the athletes in a series of strength, agility and flexibility exercises to assess their fitness for a NASCAR pit crew. Additionally, each athlete will learn how to perform tasks required of over-the-wall crew members.

“We’re excited to witness the impact this year’s competitors bring to NASCAR and the overall pit crew development program,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR director of racing operations and event management. “Each athlete possesses something special and has demonstrated the potential to work in a fast-paced, highly competitive environment. Rev Racing’s recruiting efforts have identified some phenomenal athletes who can translate what they’ve accomplished in their respective sports to success on pit road. We look forward to training those selected to the program and positioning them for successful NASCAR careers.”

Top performing athletes will earn a spot in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development program where they will spend six months training as pit crew members at Rev Racing, with hopes of one day pitting for a national series team.

“We couldn’t be prouder of the journey both our pit crew development program and program graduates have taken from its inception,” said Max Siegel, owner and CEO of Rev Racing. “With the expansion of our recruiting efforts across the country, the talent level rises, and our program continues to evolve and create more opportunities for advancement at a higher level. We’re energized by the opportunity to work with these talented athletes and foresee a very impactful future on pit road for those selected to participate in our program.”

Since the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program began, more than 100 athletes have participated, and 65 graduates are now working in NASCAR. Thirty-five crew members have reached and competed in the sport’s national series, including the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™.

Program alums include Raphael Diaz, rear tire changer for Roush Fenway Racing, and Jordan Paige, now a jackman for Richard Childress Racing. Earlier this season, Breanna O’Leary and Brehanna Daniels became the first female graduates of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program to go over the wall in the DAYTONA 500. Both women participated in the 2016 pit crew combine and now pit regularly across the national series.

As part of the recruiting process, NASCAR and Rev Racing traveled to host student-athlete workouts at Alabama A&M University, Alcorn State University, Arizona State University, Coppin State University, Virginia State University and the University of Miami.

This year’s combine will feature Dalanda Ouendeno from Paris, France, a former University of Miami women’s soccer player. Ouendeno played for the Paris St. Germain soccer club from 2009 to 2015, won the Gothia Youth World Cup and the IberCup Portugal, and was part of five Isles of France championship teams.

Dasmond Tautalatasi will join the pit crew combine from Arizona State where he played safety for the Sun Devils football team. Hadji Gaylord, an undefeated high school wrestler and defensive lineman at Norfolk State University, returns for his second combine with hopes of earning a spot in the development program.

The 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine participants include:

Following Friday’s event, the pit crew combine participants will attend the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco 300 on Saturday, May 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Drive for Diversity also offers a driver development program, operated by Rev Racing, and fields vehicles for six drivers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, as well as legend cars for four youth racers in the US Legend Car Series. Successful graduates now competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series include drivers Kyle Larson, Daniel Suárez and Bubba Wallace.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 will be broadcast live from Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26 at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 16, 2019) – As NASCAR® and its fans prepare to celebrate 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race weekend in Charlotte, N.C., the industry will welcome today the newest class of interns selected to the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP).

Twenty-eight undergraduate and graduate students from universities across the country will begin orientation today in Charlotte and participate in a motorsports tour that will include Charlotte Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the other racing venues in and around the city.

On Saturday, May 18, the new intern class will experience the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90) live from Charlotte Motor Speedway as NASCAR’s brightest stars compete for $1 million in prize money.

“For many, the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program provides an introduction to motorsports as well as valuable, hands-on experience in an industry rich with opportunity,” said Paula Miller, NASCAR senior vice president and chief human resources officer. “As we welcome each new class, we’re reminded of the many careers launched by this program and the positive impact our graduates continue to have on the sport.”

One of the premier internships in sports, NDIP offers college students from diverse backgrounds a unique and practical experience in the motorsports industry. More than 400 students and several industry partners have participated in NDIP since its inception in 2000.

Twenty-four former interns are currently employed in the NASCAR industry. The list includes Jusan Hamilton, who in 2017 became the first African American to serve as race director for a NASCAR national series event. In addition to his race director responsibilities, Hamilton oversees the NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver and pit crew development programs.

Brandon Thompson, a 15-year NASCAR industry veteran, completed NDIP internships in 2003 and 2004 in between semesters at Clark Atlanta University. Thompson now runs the Touring Series for NASCAR as managing director.

Katherine Lee, another NDIP alum, works on the events team at NASCAR and organizes high-profile events such as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards and NASCAR Fuel for Business events. In 2017, Dejah Gilliam was a communications intern at NASCAR and now, as a full-time member of the team, supports industry initiatives across several teams and tracks.

Maryland native Kenneth Lee was part of last year’s NDIP class, and following his internship was hired as an associate producer for Motor Racing Network (MRN) in Concord, N.C. As part of orientation on Friday, Lee will give the new interns a tour of MRN studios.

The 2019 NDIP class will have roles at NASCAR and program partners across the industry which include International Speedway Corporation (ISC), Toyota, MRN and several tracks and teams.

Throughout the program, interns will interact with industry professionals at an array of networking events and lunch-and-learns led by NASCAR executives. The interns will also have access to mentors and NDIP alumni currently working at the sanctioning body and partner organizations.

NDIP is open to sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate-level college students and offers hands-on experience with one of the top sports industries in the country. The internship provides opportunities to multicultural students from all majors with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

The 2019 NASCAR Diversity Internship Program class includes:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Four talented youth drivers have been selected to hone their racing skills as participants in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program after a national talent search in March.

NASCAR and Rev Racing hosted a youth driver combine at GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, N.C., where drivers ages 12 to 16 were evaluated during practice sessions and heat races.

Four drivers were selected to the 2019 class, including Rajah Caruth, 16, an iRacing competitor from Washington D.C., with aspirations of a traditional racing career. Among the new participants are Lacy Kuehl, 12, of Sarasota, Fla., who has experience racing dirt oval flat karts, and Blake Lothian, 16, a World Formula Kart driver from Wellesley, Mass.

Fourteen-year-old U.S. Legends car driver Isabella Robusto of Fort Mill, S.C., returns to Rev Racing having trained with the youth driver development program in 2017 and 2018.

“We were very impressed with what we saw from these drivers at the combine in March,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR director, racing operations and event management. “Each driver demonstrated strong potential and we believe will be successful in racing. The four selected stood out based on their abilities both on and off the track, have great experience and left quite the positive impression on our evaluators.”

NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Rev Racing seek the highest quality candidates from diverse backgrounds and develop them into successful NASCAR drivers. During the summer, the youth program provides selected drivers with equipment, mentoring and competition experience.

Rev Racing, the competition arm of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program, will put the four drivers in INEX Legend Cars in 2019. Each driver will compete in the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway in June and July, and several other events throughout the summer.

“We have really taken an in-depth look at how we develop and train our drivers at the youth level,” said Max Siegel, CEO of Rev Racing. “We’ve seen the program grow over the last 10 years and make a substantial impact in NASCAR. The level of talent and enthusiasm we are already seeing in these young individuals is both promising and exciting. Connecting with drivers as early as possible allows us to have a greater impact on driver development on and off the race track. Our goal is to see these drivers move through the pipeline and into the national series.”

The youth development program serves as a stepping stone for drivers to eventually move to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series race cars with the goal of one day competing for a NASCAR national series team.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program, a separate program that will host its combine later this year, introduces talent to Late Model Stock cars and offers opportunities for drivers to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and Whelen All-American Series with the Rev Racing team.

Graduates of the youth development program include NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver Hailie Deegan, 17, and Rev Racing Late Model driver Nicholas Sanchez, 17. In 2018, Deegan became the first female driver to win a K&N Pro Series race after taking the checkered flag at Meridian Speedway in Idaho. Deegan won her second K&N Pro Series race in 2019, finishing first at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track.

Sanchez raced in last year’s Bojangles’ Summer Shootout with Rev Racing’s Legends Car program and recently completed his rookie season in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

The 2019 class features the following drivers:

Rajah Caruth: In 2018, Caruth raced the Legends ’34 Coupe in the inaugural season of the eNASCAR Ignite Series, NASCAR and iRacing’s youth series created specifically to identify and attract young and diverse talent. He made 18 starts in the eight-week regular season, where he finished second seven times, made the playoffs and advanced to the championship round. Caruth has raced in more than 230 races on iRacing thus far in 2019 with 21 wins and more than1,600 laps led.

Lacy Kuehl: Kuehl has raced in a dirt oval flat kart 32 times with one first-place finish. Notable accomplishments include winning at the Inverness Grand Prix and racing for Diabetic Ketoacidosis survivors. Kuehl would eventually like to earn an invitation to the Maxxis Nationals.

Blake Lothian: Lothian raced nine of 10 races in a World Formula Kart in the 2018 New Hampshire Karting Association (NHKA) Outdoor Series in New Hampshire. His highest finish was third place and he finished the season seventh out of more than 20 drivers. In 2017, he was the NHKA Briggs and Stratton LO206 Senior Champion with seven first-place finishes and three second-place finishes.

Isabella Robusto:  A current youth development driver, Robusto competed in the 2018 Bojangles Summer Shootout 10-race series where she finished sixth in the overall points standings. She won Battle at the Big Top at Texas Motor Speedway, a U.S. Legends National Qualifier.