NASCAR and Rev Racing Set to Host 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Combine
Ten Diverse Drivers Will Compete On and Off the Track in Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, Fla., for the Opportunity to Drive with Rev Racing in 2020
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 17, 2019) – Following a thorough selection process, NASCAR and Rev Racing have identified 10 multicultural and female drivers to host at the 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Combine in Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on October 22-23.
Numerous drivers from around the world applied to the program, but only the 10 finalists will compete for spots to drive with Rev Racing and compete in the NASCAR Late Model Stock, ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Showdown Series in 2020.
Drivers will be put to the test during the two-day event where evaluators from across the industry will judge each participant on their on-track performance, physical fitness, media and marketing skills. Many of the drivers will be piloting late model stock cars for the first time during the on-track assessment at New Smyrna Speedway.
“We are thrilled with the caliber of diverse drivers planning to compete in this year’s combine,” said Jusan Hamilton, Director of Racing Operations and Event Management at NASCAR. “The driver selection process for the 2020 class was highly competitive, as we had several talented applicants from across the United States and abroad – and that advanced level of competition boosts our confidence in the ladder system we have in place with our partners at Rev Racing, which will be effective for many years to come.”
Rajah Caruth, Isabella Robusto and Lavar Scott participated in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Combine earlier this year in Concord, N.C., where they were mentored by NASCAR Drive for Diversity team members, Chase Cabre, Nicholas Sanchez, Brooke Storer and Gracie Trotter.
“We are excited to see our some of our youth development drivers be selected as participants in this year’s combine,” said Max Siegel, Owner of Rev Racing. “We will look to our returning drivers to set the bar high and look forward to the selection of the 2020 Class.”
This year’s participants comprise a diverse group of drivers from the United States and beyond including three black, three female and four Hispanic drivers. Their ultimate goal is to compete at NASCAR’s highest level, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Much like the other participants, foreign driver Loris Hezemans has already made a name for himself. The Dutch driver won the 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series race at Raceway Vernay in the Netherlands and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series 2018 Junior championship.
Veteran NASCAR Drive for Diversity participant, Chase Cabre, has experienced success with Rev Racing claiming two races and four poles in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2019.
Program graduates include three drivers now competing in NASCAR’s top Monster Energy series, Daniel Suarez, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson, who scored a victory at Dover International Speedway earlier this month to punch his ticket into the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs.
The 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants include:
Name | Hometown | Age | Racing Series |
Chase Cabre | Tampa, Fla. | 22 | NASCAR K&N Pro Series East |
Rajah Caruth | Washington, DC | 17 | US Legend Car Series & eNASCAR Ignite Series |
Loris Hezemans | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 22 | NASCAR Whelen Euro Series |
Perry Patino | Montgomery, Ala. | 20 | Limited Late Model & Pro Late Model Series |
Isabella Robusto | Fort Mill, S.C. | 14 | US Legend Car Series |
Nicholas Sanchez | Homestead, Fla. | 18 | NASCAR Whelen All American Series & NASCAR K&N Pro Series East |
Lavar Scott | Carney’s Pointe, N.J. | 16 | 600 Micro Sprint Series |
Brooke Storer | Land O’ Lakes, Fla. | 21 | NASCAR Whelen All American Series |
Gracie Trotter | Denver, N.C. | 18 | NASCAR Whelen All American Series |
Ryan Vargas | La Mirada, Calif. | 19 | NASCAR Whelen All-American Series |
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 Gander Outdoors Truck Series™), three regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). 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 www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Rev Racing
Headquartered in Concord, N.C., 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 on Twitter @RevRacin.
After 11 races stretching over nine months, the 2019 K&N Pro Series East season concludes this weekend at Dover International Speedway, the 29th time the series has competed on the Delaware oval.
At weekend’s end, a champion will be crowned and the season will be celebrated. For one driver, it’ll be a weekend with no pressure as history awaits.
GENERAL TIRE 125 AT DOVER
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
It’s all but official.
Sam Mayer needs to finish 27th or better to clinch the 2019 K&N Pro East championship for GMS Racing. In one prior start at the Monster Mile last season, he finished fourth. Mayer’s season has been a dream one, visiting Victory Lane three times. He’ll put a bow on it this weekend.
With the title, Mayer will become the youngest champion in NASCAR national or regional series history.
General Tire 125
At 16 years, 3 months, 8 days, he will eclipse the mark set in 2016 by current NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series driver Todd Gilliland (16 years, 5 months). Mayer will better the East record that was set in 2017 by another current Gander Outdoors Truck Series driver, Harrison Burton (16 years, 11 months, 20 days).
It’s fitting, perhaps, that Gilliland will be back behind the wheel for DGR-Crosley for the second time this season Friday. He was eighth in the season opener at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway.
All Mayer has done is finish in the top five in all but one start, averaging a starting position AND finishing position of under 4. In addition to his three wins, he finished second twice. He also has six top fives in seven ARCA Menards Series starts and made his Gander Outdoors Truck Series debut this year.
Not a bad rookie campaign.
The race for second will be intriguing to follow along with, as Chase Cabre (-30) has a 12-point buffer on Spencer Davis (-42) for the runner-up spot. Tanner Gray (-48) sits fourth, with Max McLaughlin (-61) fifth.
Only once since Andy Santerre in 2005 has the series champion also won the Dover race. That was Burton in 2017.
Coming off his eighth-place finish at New Hampshire, Nick Sanchez will make his fourth career start this weekend. His Rev Racing teammate Ruben Garcia Jr. is the defending race winner, while Chase Cabre will look to match his brother Collin, who earned the ‘Monster Mile’ trophy in 2015.