Educators Enjoy a Day at Monster Mile

On June 4, Delaware State University’s National Association of Black Journalists and NASCAR Multicultural Development teamed up once again to bridge the gap between young media students and the growing sports industry. This is my second opportunity to spend time at Dover International Speedway networking with industry insiders.  This year, I had the opportunity to be a part of a group of educators from the Baltimore city and central Delaware areas who were invited to NASCAR not just to see the race, but to learn how to bring a NASCAR stem curriculum to the classroom.

Twanda Pickett, Assistant Principal at The Historic Samuel Coleridge Taylor Elementary of Baltimore, Maryland recounts “I am excited to integrate NASCARS program with what the students are currently learning in the district,” she said.

In addition to learning about the stem initiative, Acceleration Nation, the group also met members of the NASCAR corporate team including Christopher Davis, Managing Director and Chief Security Office for NASCAR. Davis, a former NFL Player who also spent 23 years in the FBI, has been with NASCAR for six month.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to help elevate NASCAR security standards and to work collaboratively with all of our security partners,” Davis said.

The group also met with Dover International Speedway’s Gary Camp and learned about youth summer initiatives and the new kids ticket packages.

Once again, Lauren Houston of NASCAR Multicultural Development introduced a group of people who would have probably never thought of NASCAR as an educational resource.  This may be the start of some amazing opportunities for students to receive through NASCAR.

Sanchez and Robusto Join D4D Program For 2017

CONCORD, N.C. —  Each year Rev Racing seeks to obtain the highest quality applicants representing diverse backgrounds and develop them into successful NASCAR drivers. Started by Max Siegel in 2009, Rev Racing also manages a youth racing initiative for kids 8-14 who want to compete in the INEX Legend cars.

Through a several week evaluation process, youth drivers were chosen by recommendation, historical success, and overall driving performance.

“As it remains a goal of ours to focus on the growth and development of both our academy-style program and youth participants, we want to connect with these drivers as early as possible,” said Max Siegel, owner of Rev Racing. “The sooner we can start providing the proper guidance to these individuals, the more prepared they are to grow into a different series.”

This year, Rev Racing will offer a Legend car ride to two new-comers, Isabella Robusto and Nicholas Sanchez.

Isabella, from Fort Mill, South Carolina, began racing the go-karts in club races at Carolina Motorsports Park. Isabella had immediate success, with several podium finishes. As she gained experience she began racing go-karts at other local tracks and eventually in numerous national series’ like USPKS, WKA, Florida Winter Tour and the F-Series. At the age of 8, and while still racing go-karts, Isabella climbed into a Bandolero and began racing at Concord Motor Speedway and competed in her first of many Summer Shootout’s at Charlotte Motor Speedway as a Beginner Bandit. Within a year Isabella moved up to the Bandit division and raced the Winter Nationals in Orlando, Florida. With other INEX sanctioned races in Charlotte, Atlanta and Virginia, Isabella’s points scored her the 2016 South Carolina Young Lions championship.  While Isabella maintains a full karting competition schedule, she is very excited to get back on track in her Legend Car for Summer Shootout 2017.

Nicholas, from Miami, Florida, had a love of car racing from the age of 5 when he went to his first NASCAR truck race at Homestead Miami Speedway.  By the age of 12, he began kart racing in his hometown of Miami.  Over the last 3.5 years, he has raced on multiple national circuits including, Rok Cup USA and The Florida Winter Tour.  Nicholas has raced throughout the State of Florida at various racetracks competing in over 45 races.  He has fourteen top-10 and eleven top-five finishes in karting classes ranging from Junior, Senior and Shifter.  Nicholas one day wants to see his name among notable alumni Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez, and Darrell Wallace Jr.

Both drivers will compete in the 2017 Summer Shootout, which will begin June 12 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Aspiring Pit Crew Members to Compete for Spots with Rev Racing Development Program

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A select group of former college football, basketball, softball, and track and field athletes from across the country will put their pit crew skills to the test in the second annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine presented by Goodyear on Friday, May 26.

The 17 athletes earned invitations to compete as part of a nationwide talent search. They will be evaluated based on a series of fitness, agility and pit crew drills and competitions at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.

Top-performing participants will be invited to join NASCAR Drive for Diversity’s crew member development program, operated by Rev Racing, and will receive expert training as tire changers, carriers and jackmen as they pursue full-time employment with NASCAR national series race teams.

“As we saw with last year’s inaugural national combine, the caliber of athletes now competing for opportunities to train with NASCAR Drive for Diversity is stronger than ever,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “As the program grows, it’s attracting top-quality talent and competitors who we believe have the potential to excel at the highest levels of NASCAR.”

Current program participants like Lamar Neal, who attended the 2016 national pit crew combine, are already making their mark in the sport. A former linebacker at Norfolk State University, Neal has joined Richard Childress Racing and is now pitting for the team in the NASCAR XFINITY Series™.

In total, there are 35 NASCAR Drive for Diversity pit crew graduates now working in NASCAR, including 25 alums pitting across the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™. In May, three graduates – Raphael Diaz, Kevin Richardson and Mike Russell – helped Roush Fenway Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to his first career Monster Energy Series win at Talladega Superspeedway.

Earlier this year as part of the program’s scouting process, NASCAR and Rev Racing hosted tryouts at six universities: Alcorn State University, Arizona State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Norfolk State, San Diego State University and Virginia State University.

Thirteen men and four women from these schools and others will take part in Friday’s four-hour skills competition led by Phil Horton, Rev Racing director of athletic performance.

“We couldn’t be more proud as an organization to not only see our vision for the program come to life, but to also attract top talent from some of the nation’s best universities,” said Max Siegel, Rev Racing owner and CEO. “Coach Phil Horton is the best in the business. The performance and success of our graduates each week is a true testament to both the mission of our organization and Phil’s lifelong contribution to diversifying and pushing this sport to its limits.”

Ezell Ruffin was a standout wide receiver and his team’s offensive most valuable player at San Diego State before attending training camp with the Indianapolis Colts in 2015. This week, Ruffin will join former Aztec teammate Kevin Walcott as the football players attempt to “go pro” in NASCAR.

Kendra Cooper was a Historically Black Colleges & Universities first-team all-American basketball player at Bethune-Cookman in 2017, and finished her career as the school’s all-time leader in three-point shooting. Cooper will look to follow in the footsteps of Brehanna Daniels, a former Norfolk State point guard and current NASCAR Drive for Diversity tire changer who recently pitted her first race in the ARCA Series.

Tramel Topps worked out for scouts from 28 NFL teams at Arizona State’s Pro Day in March, but will now trade his football cleats for a set of Goodyear tires as he seeks to become a tire carrier with NASCAR Drive for Diversity.

NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine presented by Goodyear participants include:

First	Last	Hometown	University	Primary Sport
Charles	Beatty	Phoenix, Ariz.	Arizona State University	Football
Marcell	Blair	Charlotte, N.C.	N/A	Football
Bryce	Bradley	Richmond, Va.	Virginia State University	Football
Devin	Byrd	TBD	TBD	TBD
Trevon	Byron	Newport News, Va.	Virginia State University	Football
Sandy	Chapman	Raleigh, N.C.	Norfolk State University	Football
Kendra	Cooper	Spring, Texas	Bethune-Cookman University	Basketball
Torian	Henderson	Silver Springs, Md.	Norfolk State University	Football
Gerard	Johnson	Richmond, Va.	Norfolk State University	Football
Jalen	Jones	Indianapolis, Ind.	Vincennes University	Football/Track & Field
Sherry	Lewis	Dinwiddie, Va.	Virginia State University	Bowling/Lacrosse
Ryan	Nantuna	Elk Grove, Calif.	Arizona State University	Wrestling
Sophia	Ortega	Highland, Calif.	Bethune-Cookman University	Softball
Ezell	Ruffin	Los Angeles, Calif.	San Diego State University	Football
Tramel	Topps	Milwaukee, Wis.	Arizona State University	Football
Kevin	Walcott	Los Angeles, Calif.	San Diego State University	Softball
Alisha	Williams	Mississauga, Ont.	Virginia State University	Track & Field

Following Friday’s event, pit crew combine participants will attend the Hisense 4K TV 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 27 (1 p.m. ET, FS1).

NASCAR Drive for Diversity also offers a driver development program, operated by Rev Racing, and each year fields six drivers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Successful graduates now competing in a national series include Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson and Daniel Suárez and NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Darrell Wallace Jr.

For the first time, Goodyear becomes presenting sponsor of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine. The “Official Tire of NASCAR®” has been a longtime supporter of Rev Racing and NASCAR Drive for Diversity, and supplies the team with race tires for competition.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 will be broadcast live from Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28 at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

About NASCAR: 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 women drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit http://revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.

First Female Late Model Winner In Track History

 

CONCORD, N.C. – Macy Causey, 16-year-old resident of York County, Virginia, won at South Boston Speedway in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car Division (LMSC) Saturday night. Causey, the youngest member in the history of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, earned her first career LMSC victory, and became the first female to win a LMSC race at South Boston Speedway.

Causey survived an early race mishap when then-leader Lee Pulliam’s motor expired, bringing out the red flag for a lengthy clean-up during the first LMSC race of the Bojangles Twin 75s. Causey eventually went on to hold off Brandon Pierce in a two-lap dash to the finish.

This highly-competitive race had seven lead changes among five drivers. It took an hour and 23 minutes to complete the 75-lap race, with six cautions and two red flags. Causey’s teammate, Madeline Crane, unfortunately was part of a late race caution while running 4th and was unable to finish the first twin or compete in the second.

During this first race, Causey managed to hold off three NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Champions, including Peyton Sellers (one-time national champion), Phillip Morris (four-time national champion), and Lee Pulliam (three-time national champion). Sellers, Morris, and Pulliam also combine for five South Boston Speedway track championships.

“It feels amazing,” said Macy Causey. “I’m super excited. I started crying during my interview in Victory Lane. I didn’t know what to do.”

Causey is the granddaughter of Diane Teel, the first woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race and the first woman from Virginia recognized in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“To see where NASCAR was when I was racing to now and watching my grandbaby win her first ever late model race is hard to put in words,” said Diane Teel. “Macy has done something so great that I think it will take awhile for her to understand how big of a deal this was. To win at a place like South Boston with all of its history is so overwhelming for all of us to take in right now. And, she did it the right way without wrecking people to win. That’s what was the best part for me.”

Causey and her Rev Racing team finished the second Twin in 5th position after being inverted to an 8th place start, due to winning the first Twin. Causey and Crane will be back in action at Hickory Motor Speedway next Saturday, May 27.

Macy Causey takes the checkered flag to win the 75-lap Late Model Stock Car feature at South Boston (Va.) Speedway Saturday night. F&S Enterprises

Twenty-Six Students will Contribute to Motorsports Industry Throughout 10-week Internship

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 2017 NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) welcomed 26 of the brightest students from across the country seeking to learn about the motorsports industry during the Monster Energy All-Star Race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

This year, 14 former NDIP interns currently working in the industry full-time will help mentor the students throughout the 10-week, paid internship. Mentors include Brandon Thompson, senior director of NASCAR touring series; Lauren Houston, manager of NASCAR Multicultural Development; Pedro Mojica, Richard Petty Motorsports engineer; and Jusan Hamilton, manager of NASCAR racing operations and event management. Hamilton made history earlier this year by becoming the first African-American to serve as a race director for a NASCAR national series event.

“For nearly 20 years, the NASCAR Diversity internship program has provided talented students with hands-on experience in the motorsports industry,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “The program has also helped NASCAR identify future leaders in the industry and continues to serve as an important part of our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.”

In its 18th year, NDIP has introduced hundreds of students from diverse backgrounds to professional opportunities in NASCAR. The program has also served as a pipeline for identifying and hiring top talent across the motorsports industry. In addition to NASCAR, 2017 interns will be working at NASCAR partner companies including Rev Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Pocono Raceway, Toyota, and the International Speedway Corporation.

The 2017 NDIP class began its NASCAR experience with an orientation session at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord. The group visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte and the NASCAR Production Studio, as well as the race shop for Rev Racing, which fields cars for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.

The class also put its own racing skills to the test at Victory Lane Karting. In addition, the interns met with key stakeholders in the NASCAR industry including Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series crew members, drivers, and NASCAR executives.

For many, attending the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Monster Energy Showdown and Monster Energy All-Star race from Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend will be their first live NASCAR experience.

Throughout the internship, the students will contribute to the industry and gain experience working in marketing, engineering, public relations, licensing, diversity and public affairs. They will also learn from leading NASCAR executives in weekly lunch-and-learn sessions and networking events with professionals across the industry.

The NASCAR Diversity Internship program offers diverse students an opportunity to work in one of the largest professional sports industries in the United States. Each year, the internships are available to college sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students across the country. To be eligible, students must be in good standing with their school and community and have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

The 2017 NDIP class includes the following students from colleges and universities across the nation:

Name	Department/Organization	University
Alex Alvarado	NASCAR Public Affairs	University of Central Florida
Alton Peques	NASCAR Marketing, Media Research	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ashleigh Young	NASCAR Creative Design	University of Southern Mississippi
Bria Dixon	NASCAR Weekly and Touring	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Cabrell Cooper	NASCAR Productions Engineering	Delaware State University
Cambric Moye	Toyota, Logistics	University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Carter Allen	NASCAR Brand Platforms Marketing	Arizona State University
Catherine Rivera-Chardon	Pocono Raceway	Penn State University
Dejah Gilliam	NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications	Syracuse University
Federico Morales	NASCAR Finance	Georgia State University
Glen Charlton	NASCAR Digital	University of Maryland
Greg Carty	Roush Fenway Racing	Old Dominion University
Jorge Jones	NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications	University of the Incarnate Word
Kenneth Lee	The NASCAR Foundation	Tuskegee University
Kevin Lee	Toyota, Information Systems	University of Texas Dallas
Kim Brian Fadul	NASCAR Digital Media	North Carolina State University
Lillian Hermina	NASCAR Industry Services	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Monica Matias	ISC Public Affairs	University of Central Florida
Natalia Mendoza	NASCAR Green Innovation	Wake Forest University
Precious Makuyana	ISC Legal	Florida A&M University
Ronald Alexander	ISC Partnership Marketing	Winston-Salem State University
Sandra Prieto	NASCAR Member Services	University of Miami
Sarah Torres	ISC Finance	Penn State University
Shawn Meachem	Rev Racing	Johnson C. Smith University
Tylar Williams	NASCAR Human Resources	Texas A&M College Station
Zane Smith	Toyota Engineering	Southern Methodist University

About NASCAR

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™), three 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’).

Daytona International Speedway Hosts National Sorority

Nearly 1,000 Southern Region members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. attended the 2017 Florida & the Bahamas Regional State Cluster Meeting and Mock Convention at the Daytona International Speedway March 31-April 2.

The Cluster is a regional event hosted by the Regional Leadership Team and host chapters to strengthen members’ knowledge of the organization and to help prepare for the organization’s national convention which will be held in Las Vegas in August.

Sorority members Shameeka Quallo, Esq., Corporate Council, International Speedway Corporation and Dawn Harris, Senior Director of Multicultural Development, NASCAR attended and offered welcome remarks on behalf of both corporations.

The sorority has 208 chapters and 15,000 members in the Southern Region, so the event was very significant for the region and for the entire Central Florida area.  Locally, Volusia County has three of those chapters; the Daytona Beach Alumnae Chapter, the DeLand Alumnae Chapter and the Delta Alpha Chapter on the campus of Bethune-Cookman University.

About Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated:

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is a private not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world.  The majority of the Sorority’s programs are based upon its Five Point Programmatic Thrust, which is economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, has more than 250,000 members and 1,000 collegiate and alumnae chapters located in the United States, England, Japan, Germany, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and the Republic of Korea.

Becomes First African-American To Call National Series Event

FONTANA, Calif. — NASCAR concludes its Western swing this weekend in a historical manner. Jusan Hamilton, 26, became the first African-American to serve as a race director for a NASCAR national series event, controlling on-track activity in Saturday’s XFINITY Series race.

The Ithaca, New York, native and former short track racer sees his opportunity as a result of hard work and high goals. What started as a Drive for Diversity internship with the sanctioning body’s Integrated Marketing Communications department has turned into a four-year tenure with NASCAR, primarily working in race operations and event management.

“I never really thought of (being the first African-American national series race director) in those terms. … I’m proud of it, and I’m really thankful for the team in the control tower,” said Hamilton, whose job this weekend as race director includes making split-second decisions regarding officiating, safety and emergency services.

“I’ve wanted to work in professional racing since I was a kid watching Kevin Harvick,’’ Hamilton said. “I’m very fortunate to have this opportunity. I’ve had the chance to learn so many different areas of the sport and business, that’s one of the things that’s best about working with NASCAR.

“Being race director is similar to being the quarterback in football — you have to know your job and the jobs of every other team member to be successful.”

Supporting Diversity On and Off the Race Track

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– NASCAR and ALPFA will jointly present the 2017 Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA) Southeast Collegiate Symposium on March 25 at the Charlotte Convention Center and NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

Felix Sabates, part owner of Chip Ganassi Racing and one of the founding owners of the Charlotte Hornets, will deliver the keynote address to more than 200 Latino college students from North Carolina, Georgia and Florida ALPFA chapters.

Joining NASCAR will be national brands including AICPA, US Central Intelligence Agency, Altria, New York Life, as well as institutions such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

ALPFA remains a long-standing partner of NASCAR’s Multicultural Development initiatives. Since 2015, ALPFA has participated in the NASCAR Opinion Leader Initiative to build greater awareness, participation, and support of NASCAR in key race markets. Through various exclusive events and at-track immersion experiences, ALPFA chapters across the country have helped increase the number of students in the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program while also connecting members and track representatives to build sustainable partnerships.

In 2016, ALPFA honored Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suárez with an honorary lifetime membership at an event in Charlotte. Suárez was also a keynote speaker at the annual ALPFA Convention, addressing more than 3,000 professionals. In February 2017, NASCAR awarded ALPFA the NASCAR Institution Award at the 10th Annual NASCAR Diversity Awards Luncheon.

“At ALPFA we are very excited about our partnership with NASCAR, and very proud of 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Daniel Suárez for setting an example of resilience, hard work and faith to our more than 80,000 ALPFA student and professional members nationwide,” said Luis Vargas, Chief Marketing Officer, ALPFA.

The theme for this year’s symposium is Latino Millennials: Developing Your Strategy to Succeed in Your Career. Cuban-born, Felix Sabates will discuss what it takes to succeed in any industry, and particularly in the world of sports.

NASCAR has broken barriers and made history on the track with the launch of its NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, which aims to provide opportunities for female and minority drivers and pit crew members. The program has seen great success with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson and Daniel Suárez as well as NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Darrell Wallace Jr. Off the track, programs such as the NASCAR Opinion Leader Initiative, the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and the NASCAR Diversity Chevy Scholarship align seasoned professionals and multicultural millennials with opportunities within the motorsports industry.

For more information on NASCAR Drive for Diversity, visit NASCARDiversity.com. Visit ALPFA.org to register for the 2017 Southeast Regional Collegiate Symposium.

About ALPFA

ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals For America) is the longest standing Latino organization with 80,000+ members assembled in 45 professional and more than 160 student chapters across America. Our ambition is to connect 1 million passionate Latino leaders for exponential impact.

About NASCAR Multicultural Development 

NASCAR Multicultural Development engages industry stakeholders in an effort to broaden the sport’s audience, increase minority and female on track participation, introduce career opportunities in motorsports, and network with multicultural target markets.

Athletes Compete for Spot in Developmental Program

CONCORD, N.C. – Today, the 2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Recruitment Tour will kick off at Alcorn State University, located in Lorman, Mississippi.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program is a comprehensive training program for aspiring minority and female pit crew members. The program is designed to identify, coach, train and develop minority athletes who possess the skill, ability and attitude to be a successful pit crew member in one of the three NASCAR national series.

The recruitment tour will make six stops at universities across the nation to identify minority and female student athletes that have an interest in motorsports and a post-college professional sports career. This program offers any minority athlete the chance to become a pit crew member with a NASCAR race team; if that individual has the necessary talent to reach the highest level (The Monster Energy NASCAR CUP Series) of the sport.

“We seek student athletes with a general interest in motorsports, extreme sports, the auto industry, etc. and individuals who possess a strong sense of character and work ethic,” said Coach Phil Horton, Director of Performance for Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program. “We understand how athletes are built, and what athletes are capable of when it comes to teamwork, dedication and focus.”

The original participant selection process is based on athletes who are recommended by coaches and athletic directors. During the tour, participants will be challenged with drills that showcase their flexibility, agility and strength. Top participants at each of these tour stops could receive an invitation to compete against other competitors for a spot on the 2017 development team.

“We are excited to kick off the 8th year of the NASCAR Diversity Pit Crew Program with our combine here at Alcorn State University,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR Racing Operations and Event Management. “This is the second year of the program under this current format and we have already seen great success from those student athletes who made it to the national combine last year. We’re committed to increasing diversity in the sport in all aspects, and we are already seeing great gains up and down pit road in participation from minority and female athletes.”

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Program emphasizes education and training, while redirecting the talents that are already present in these individuals. Exposure to a career in NASCAR could be the next step in a professional journey for these athletes.

Over 75 individuals have participated in the program since its inception. The program bodes a 100% placement rate for those who complete the training program. Currently 25 of those individuals have succeeded in reaching the highest level of the sport and have went on to win numerous races and championships in the national series. It takes approximately three years to reach the highest level of the sport at which time the annual salary is between $80 – $100,000 from that point forward. For those who have reached the top level with five or more years of experience, it is not uncommon to receive salaries of upwards of $150 – $175,000 annually.

“Alcorn State University is excited to extend our relationship with NASCAR,” said Jason Cable Assistant Vice President for Athletic Compliance and Academic Services. “This partnership will inevitably provide multifaceted opportunities within the sports industry for our student athletes. Exposure to a corporation like NASCAR is priceless for our student-athletes and will positively impact their post student- athlete career.”

The participant registration will begin today (March 23) at 11:00 am, with the assessment following at 12:00 pm. All events will take place at the Davey L Whitney Health, Physical Education and Recreation Complex, on the Alcorn State campus.

Recognized In Magazine’s Women On The Move Event

ORLANDO, Fla. – ONYX Magazine will present the 2nd Annual Women on the Move, which honors a diverse array of women who are power brokers in their own right, along with event sponsor Herzing University on Thursday at The Alfond Inn in Winter Park, Florida.

Among the honorees, ONYX Magazine will recognize Lauren Houston, Manager, NASCAR Multicultural Development as a 2017 Women on the Move recipient. Houston has been with NASCAR since 2013 where she began her motorsports career with the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP), a 10-week paid internship for minority students.

The awards luncheon will be hosted by Annetta Wilson, President of Annetta Wilson Media Training and Success Coaching. Keynote address will be provided by Dr. Rosalie Ellis Payne, Sr. Director, Human Resources, Carnival Cruise Line.

Special Recognition will be held for fallen Orlando Police  Department  Lieutenant Debra Clayton.

Honorees include The Honorable Aramis Ayala, The Honorable Patty Sheehan, Lady Dhyana Ziegler, Dr. Rosalie Ellis Payne, Dr. Lucille O’Neal, Barbara Jenkins, Monica May, Camille M. Evans, Dr. Florence Alexander, Yolanda Cash Jackson, Lee Bryan, Mayor Carolyn Ford, Natalie Jackson, Beatrice Louissaint, Denee Benton, Stefanie Campbell, Kathey Porter, Connie Kinnard, Houston, Ruby Cooper Darling and others.

ONYX Magazine, Florida’s premier African-American publication, will host what has become one of the most prestigious celebrations for Women of Color: Women on the Move. This highly anticipated event will recognize the accomplishments and contributions of some of Florida’s most influential and impactful women. Houston is excited to be among that group.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized at this prestigious event. I hope I can continue to be an inspiration for young people through my work in motorsports and in the community,” Houston said.

Through the NASCAR Opinion Leader Initiative, Houston has been integral in incorporating a collegiate component that introduces millennials to the sport of NASCAR. Connecting with universities and collegiate professional chapters in targeted markets, she has aided in the increased brand awareness of the sport for hundreds of minorities and women across the country. Houston also plays a key role in managing NASCAR Multicultural Development’s key corporate engagement and national partnerships such as The National Association of Black Journalists and the Sports Diversity and Inclusion Symposium. Houston also oversees all of NASCAR Multicultural Development’s digital and social platforms.

Houston received her Bachelors of Arts degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2013. She majored in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. Houston is very active in the community and volunteers at the Second Harvest Food Bank, Halifax Hospital Auxiliary and Habitat for Humanity. Houston was born and raised in Fayetteville, N.C.

Women on the Move celebrates trailblazers who have served to make a difference in their communities. These “can-do women” have shattered glass ceilings, achieved their full potential and paved the way for others in their chosen professions.