DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR on Tuesday celebrated the outstanding accomplishments of pioneering individuals and organizations in the area of diversity at the third annual NASCAR Diversity Luncheon.
“Teams, tracks, sponsors and other stakeholders play an integral role in our efforts to further diversify our sport,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR’s managing director of public affairs. “The NASCAR Diversity Awards are a small way to say thank you and recognize just a few of those making a difference in creating awareness and opportunity.”
During a ceremony held in the Bill France Room at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR recognized the following individuals and organizations across the industry for their outstanding impact:
Drive for Diversity Participant: Paul Harraka
Harraka, 20, of Wayne, N.J., returns to the Drive for Diversity program for the fifth year in 2010 and will race in the K&N Pro Series West. Harraka, who is of Syrian descent, has a racing resume that extends from go-karts to K&N Pro Series cars. Harraka has won a total of 158 races in all types of race cars. In 2007, Harraka was named All-American Speedway’s NASCAR Late Model Rookie of the Year. In 2008, he won the Whelen All-American Series Championship when he won 11 times. During his rookie season in the K&N Pro Series West, he won the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award while winning two races. He is currently a sophomore at Duke University majoring in public policy.
Young Racer Award: Amber Colvin
Amber Colvin, 16, hails from Tallahassee, Fla. Colvin has been racing since 2004 in Bandoleros and Legends cars and placed second in the Georgia Winter Points Series in her first season racing Bandoleros. In 2008, she made the switch to Legends cars. In the Legends cars, Colvin had 39 starts, 24 top-5 and 36 top-ten finishes, including six wins. Colvin is affiliated with the Lyn St. James Driver Development Program.
NASCAR Diversity Internship Program: Arionne Allen
Arionne Allen, 23, of Mauldin, S.C., was an intern last summer in the NASCAR Series Operations department in Daytona Beach where she performed a number of integral duties. Allen was responsible for everything from the on-track schedule to ensuring all cars participating in racing events had the proper decals for the NASCAR contingency program, and that all decals were within guidelines. She was very much on the front line of NASCAR’s business. Allen also worked very closely with drivers and teams to ensure compliance with NASCAR agreements. Allen currently works for Revolution Racing in Mooresville, N.C.
Educational Institutional Award: NASCAR Technical Institute
The NASCAR Technical Institute was recognized for this award given to a college/university that attracts and trains diverse students for careers in the motorsports industry with a relevant curriculum. NTI, a branch of Universal Technical Institute, is the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR located in Mooresville, N.C.. As the first technical training school to officially combine a complete automotive technology training program with NASCAR specific courses, NTI addresses the nation’s shortage of automotive technicians by boosting the number of entry-level technicians entering the workforce. Students get hands-on experience in engines and repair, fuel and ignition systems, power trains, brakes, transmissions, electronics and diagnostic equipment. In addition, students are introduced to NASCAR technology, specifically advanced techniques for building and testing NASCAR engines, fabrication and pit crew training.
NASCAR Sponsor: Sunoco, Inc.
“Sunoco is proud to be a supporter of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program,” said Dawn Zimmerman, regional marketing manager for Sunoco, Inc. “The [NASCAR] Combine specifically allows for a new generation of diverse drivers to gain experience not only in racing, but media training, lessons in building self-confidence and the lifestyle that is racing. And we’re especially excited to be fueling the next generation of drivers who will be carrying on the legacy of NASCAR racing.”
Individual Recognition: Lyn St. James
Lyn St. James runs the Lyn St. James Academy, which was established in 1994 through the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation. The academy is an educational and training program for talented women race drivers who aspire to the professional levels of motorsports. St. James is one of only five women to have qualified for the Indianapolis 500 and became the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year in 1992. “I want to thank NASCAR for this honor and recognition,” St. James said. ” While I’ve been actively working in the area of diversity for many years, I really feel I’m only representing the many partners who have enabled us to continue doing our Driver Development Academy and other programs.”
By David Exum, Special to NASCARHomeTracks.com
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Longtime short-track racer Blair Addis didn’t hesitate for a second at the chance to work at Revolution Racing as the team’s competition director in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
After competing as a driver and car owner for several years, Addis sold his race team in 2009 to former Dale Earnhardt Inc. executives Max Siegel and John Story, the founders of the driver development organization.
“I made a decision within minutes of the offer to come here because I’m that committed to helping minorities and women reach their dreams in NASCAR,” said Addis, who was the 2005 track champion at South Carolina’s Greenville Pickens Speedway in 2005.
“I’m just thrilled to be part of this and I come here every day ready for the challenged. I’m so excited that I don’t even set my clock to wake up in the morning. There’s no way my commitment can be questioned because I’m full boar into this thing. I want it to happen and I want it to happen fast.”
Addis will oversee six of Revolution Racing’s 11 development drivers that are part of this year’s NASCAR Drive For Diversity program. The six drivers made it through the rigorous combine and testing process — which will be the subject of “Changing Lanes”, an eight-part docu-series on BET Network that will air this summer.
Jessica Brunelli, (17-years-old), Michael Cherry (20), Katie Hagar (23), Rebecca Kasten (19), Megan Reitenour (18), and Jason Romero (25), will be the six drivers under Addis’ leadership. All six drivers will compete in 20 races this season at short tracks in the Carolinas.
“These aren’t six cookie-cutter drivers that all do the same thing,’ Addis said. “They all have completely different driving styles and we wanted to evaluate their talents and make them really good drivers. We didn’t want six people who all had the same talent. That would be boring.”
Hailing from Hayward, Calif., Brunelli is the youngest of the six drivers but Addis says you’d never know it compared to her driving style.
“You can mark it down, she’s going to win a lot of poles this year because she’s so fast and has no fear,” Addis said.
During a recent test at Greenville Pickens, Brunelli made quite the impression to her mentor.
“It was breathtaking to watch her test because she literally drove it in a car and half deeper than anyone,” Addis said. “That’s not the correct way to drive at Greenville but you’ve got to be pretty brave to do that on a short track. We just have to work on her ability on how to judge other drivers and to learn how to pass and stuff like that.”
Cherry, meanwhile, is no stranger to Addis as the Valrico, Fla., native drove for him as a Drive For Diversity driver in 2009. Cherry competed in Late Models at Greenville Pickens where he earned seven top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 21 starts.
“He hasn’t peaked by no means as far as his talent and this year will be real steppingstone for him in terms of his ability as a driver,” Addis said.
Hagar, from Damariscotta, Maine, spent 2009 out west racing Late Models in at Stockton 99 and Madera Speedway where she earned four top-five and seven top-10 finishes.
“I think she’s going to impress a lot of people,” Addis said. “She’s an aggressive driver but it’s a good aggressiveness.”
Kasten, from Mequon, Wisc., competed in 12 ASA Late Model races at various tracks and posted six top-10 finishes.
Reitenour, who hails from Miamisburg, Ohio, is in her second Drive For Diversity season. In 2009, she competed at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C. Rietenour finished fourth in the track series standings and earned seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes.
“She’ll be a strong contender when she returns to Tri-County this season and all the other tracks, too,” Addis said.
Addis considers Romero the most seasoned driver in his lineup. The Cameron Park, Calif., native comes to Revolution Racing with impressive credentials. In 2009, Romero won the track championship at All-American (Roseville, Calif.) Speedway by winning 11 races, 17 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes in 29 starts. Romero also finished second in the state standings and 11th in the national standings.
“He’s the veteran of our program and we all feel he deserves a shot at the next level of NASCAR, and that’s why we selected him and moved him out here,” Addis said. 
For the last few years Joey Logano has been riding the wave as the reigning king of the young guns in the world of NASCAR.
Saturday at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, Calif. Logano got the chance to get an up and close and personal look at a youngster who surprised many by looking to have all the skill to supplant him as NASCAR’s darling of the teenage set.
In the end though it was Logano, the 19-year old Middletown native, spoiling what looked to be shaping up as colossal upset. Read more on 
