Concord, NC (Jun. 18) — NASCAR’s Crew Member Development program traveled to St. Louis on Thursday for the Pit Crew Combine & Expo.

The event, hosted in conjunction with The Demetrious Johnson Charitable Foundation and St. Louis Parks & Recreation, was held at Forest Park where over 100 adults and children were exposed to the different careers in the motorsports industry.

Johnson, a native of St. Louis, is a former defensive back who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions in the mid 1980s, and he has spent over 21 years giving back to the community to enhance the lives of inner city youth.

“The combine and expo were great opportunities for the African-American community, particularly in St. Louis, to get exposed to an area that they may not have had an opportunity to see,” Johnson said. “It was one of the best things to happen to our community.”

Six men aging from 18-30 were put to the test, going through a series of exercise drills to see if they were capable of handling the necessary tasks of pit crew member. Each of the men had a background in sports.

“It opened up a new avenue for a career later on in their lives,” said Horton, Director of Athletic Performance for Rev Racing. While attendees learned the ins and outs of what it takes to be on a pit crew, they were also able to meet and speak with some of NASCAR’s executives.

“I thought the combine was great,” said Jim Cassidy, Vice President of Racing Operations for NASCAR, who attended the event. “The expo in conjunction with it was a perfect way to make our return to St. Louis.”

Last weekend was the first time since 2007 that the Camping World Truck Series had been to St. Louis and combine participants were invited to watch the race.

They were able to witness a NASCAR Drive for Diversity (D4D) victory. Darrell Wallace, Jr., a former member of Rev Racing and D4D graduate, won the Drivin’ for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park on Saturday evening. It was Wallace’s second win in the series.

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