Category: News

D4D Kicks-Off ‘Academy-Style’ Training at Annual Combine presented by Sunoco

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combine09Thirty drivers from different forms of racing across the United States will showcase their skills in front of NASCAR executives and officials at the annual Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine presented by Sunoco, as they vie for one of 10 spots with Revolution Racing for the 2010 season. The Combine kicks off the new academy-style development for Drive for Diversity, with 10 drivers competing for the program under a single team ownership structure. The scouting event will take place October 16-20 in Charlotte, N.C., and Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va. “The drivers invited to the Combine will compete for an opportunity to be a part of the inaugural class in the D4D programs new academy-style driver development program,” said Marcus Jadotte, Managing Director of Public Affairs for NASCAR, who oversees the sanctioning body’s diversity initiatives, “As the Drive for Diversity initiative enters its seventh year, the program’s focus on driver testing and training will better position drivers to succeed and advance in our sport.” “The Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine presented by Sunoco is an integral part of the D4D initiative,” said Max Siegel, Chief Executive Officer of The 909 Group. “We are looking forward to this year’s event and are confident the drivers invited to participate in the Combine will raise the bar in terms of talent and competition.” Since the creation of Drive for Diversity in 2004, 31 competitors have driven for the initiative in NASCAR’s developmental series, winning 35 races. The 2009 driver class combined for six wins, 51 top fives and 125 top 10s. Driver Paul Harraka captured two wins and Rookie of the Year in NASCAR’s premiere development series, the NASCAR Camping World Series West. The 30 drivers participating in this year’s Combine, including 12 members of the 2009 Drive for Diversity class, will participate in both on- and off-track evaluation over a four-day period. The on-track session will be conducted in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late models and NASCAR Camping World Series cars at Motor Mile Speedway. Off the track, the drivers will be evaluated during media and sponsor relations activities. The drivers attending the Combine will also be featured in a television series, “Changing Lanes,” developed in collaboration with the NASCAR Media Group and set to air in early 2010 on BET. The eight-part series will showcase the development of young Drive for Diversity competitors trying to make it in the big-time world of NASCAR racing. Ten drivers will be selected to compete for Revolution Racing under the Drive for Diversity umbrella in 2010. Six drivers will compete in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and four will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Series East. The following drivers will participate in this year’s Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine presented by Sunoco:
  • Jorge Arteaga (Houston, Tex.) is currently 11th in the NASCAR Mexico Series standings with three top fives and four top 10s.
  • Mackena Bell (Carson City, Nev.), a member of the 2009 Drive for Diversity class, finished eighth in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model standings at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, (Calif.), with one top five and 10 top 10s.
  • Jessica Brunelli (Hayward, Calif.) competed in the Modified division at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., scoring 10 top fives and 13 top 10s.
  • Michael Cherry (Valrico, Fla.) scored seven top fives and 19 top 10s in the Late Model division at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, S.C., as a member of the 2009 Drive for Diversity class.
  • Tiffany Daniels (Smithfield, Va.) joined the Drive for Diversity program in 2009, competing in the NASCAR Camping World Series East for Hamilton Racing.
  • Heather DesRochers (Granby, Mass.) competed in the SK Light Modified division at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway. She earned one win, six top fives and seven top 10s in 15 races.
  • Phil Dugan (Meridian, Idaho) competed in the NASCAR Camping World Series West for the Drive for Diversity program in 2009, finishing the season 11th in the points standings.
  • Cassie Gannis (Phoenix, Ariz.) enjoyed three top-10 finishes in the Late Model division at Toyota Speedway this season.
  • Alissa Geving (Penngrove, Calif.) raced in the 360 All Pro Series at Petaluma Speedway, earning two wins and 15 top fives in 15 starts. She also set a track qualifying record.
  • Ryan Gifford (Winchester, Tenn.) competed in the NASCAR Camping World Series East in 2009, as well as running dirt and asphalt late model events across the Southeast.
  • Katie Hagar (Nobleboro, Maine) set a track qualifying record at Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway, driving in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series as a member of the 2009 Drive for Diversity class.
  • Paul Harraka (Fair Lawn, N.J.) became the first Drive for Diversity driver to win a race in a NASCAR regional touring division. He finished the season with two wins and seven top fives, and was named the NASCAR Camping World Series West Sunoco Rookie of the Year.
  • Laura Hayes (Wilton, Calif.) joined the 2009 Drive for Diversity class, competing in the Late Model division at South Boston (Va.) Speedway. She scored four top-10 finishes this season.
  • Sloan Henderson (Franklin, Ohio) earned NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Ohio state ookie of the year honors at Kil-Kare Speedway in Xenia, Ohio with six top fives and 18 top 10s.
  • Brandie Jass (Bryan, Tex.) competed at 105 Speedway in Cleveland, Tex., racing in the Lonestar Outlaw Sprinters. She scored eight top fives and 14 top 10s in 18 events.
  • John Jones (Mooresville, N.C.) has been competing in the INEX Bandolero Car Series, as well as testing late models throughout North Carolina.
  • Rebecca Kasten (Mequon, Wis.) has spent the year racing touring series Late Models throughout the United States. She tallied six top-10 finishes this season.
  • Ali Kern (Fremont, Ohio) raced in the Modified division at Sandusky (Ohio) Speedway, finishing third in points with two wins and nine top fives.
  • Brea Lopez (Vader, Wash.) finished third in the Limited Late Model division at South Sound Speedway in Tenino, Wash., with one pole, one win, four top fives and eight top 10s.
  • Jessica Murphy (Groveland, Fla.) competed in the Super Late Model and Limited Late Model divisions at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway this season, earning two wins and nine top fives.
  • Sergio Pena (Catharpin, Va.) kicked off his rookie season in the Late Model division at Shenandoah (Va.) Speedway with five wins, before moving over to Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va.
  • Juan Pitta (Galt, Calif.) earned one pole, one win and 12 top fives in the Late Model division at All American Speedway as a member of the 2009 Drive for Diversity class.
  • Megan Reitenour (Miamisburg, Ohio) earned rookie of the year honors for the Late Model division at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C., as a member of the 2009 Drive for Diversity class. She earned one pole, seven top fives and 16 top 10s.• Jason Romero (Cameron Park, Calif.) won the track championship in the Late Model division at All American Speedway after winning 11 races this season.
  • Natalie Sather (Fargo, N.D.) competed with the Drive for Diversity program in 2009, running in the Super Late Model division at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. Sather earned one win and 10 top fives in her rookie season on asphalt, and was the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Washington state rookie of the year.• Dylan Smith (Randolph, Vt.) was the only rookie to compete full-time in the Late Model division at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Waterbury, Vt.
  • Jonathan Smith (Beacon Falls, Conn.) competed in the NASCAR Camping World Series East as a member of the 2009 Drive for Diversity class. He earned two top-10 finishes this season.
  • Emily Sue Steck (Holman, Wis.) raced in the Late Model division at LaCrosse (Wisc.) Fairgrounds Speedway. She won three races and had 10 top fives and 14 top 10s this season.
  • Trista Stevenson (Pocahontas, Ill.) raced in the United States Super Truck Challenge Series, winning three poles and two feature events.
  • Darrell Wallace, Jr. (Mobile, Ala.) competed in 23 late model events, including nine UARA Late Model division events, scoring three wins and 11 top fives.

NASCAR teams up with BET for new ‘Changing Lanes’ show

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Max Siegel and Jonathan Smith in New York City
Max Siegel and Jonathan Smith in New York City
Black Entertainment Television, a network keyed to African-Americans, will air a show next season with NASCAR, a sport that has tried for years to improve diversity within its ranks. “Changing Lanes,” a docu-reality series expected to launch in 2010, will spotlight drivers in NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” program. “I wanted to see more opportunities created in NASCAR for people of color, especially on the competition side,” said Max Siegel, a former record executive turned stock car insider. Siegel, who had been president of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., took the idea to Jay Abraham, who runs NASCAR Media, the sport’s production arm, and together they shopped it to networks. BET will announce the show today as part of its new programming presentation. “We’re going immediately into creative meetings,” Siegel said. “We’ll come up with a pretty quick production schedule.” BET has bought 10 episodes of the hour-long show. NASCAR has a number of on-and-off-track diversity programs, including the “Drive for Diversity,” which backs female and minority drivers in feeder series for the sport’s top level. Some of those drivers will participate in the reality show, said Siegel. “Every week, there’s a lot of competition, on-track performance, a lot of back story, and getting to know the participants,” Siegel said. “We want the audience to get to know what it takes to participate at this level.” “Changing Lanes” is far from the first reality series to delve into the sport, however. FX aired “NASCAR Drivers 360,” a show that followed drivers on and off the track. ABC tried a celebrity series pairing stars with drivers in a race competition. And TLC aired “NASCAR Wives.” None, however, has focused exclusively on drivers who are women or of color. “We want to tell a true story that is racing authentic,” he said. Few of these sports-related reality shows have become mainstream hits, however. “For people who don’t know racing,” Siegel said, “it has drama built into it. There’s a lot of speed. There’s a lot of complexity in racing. Those are the key touch points to make an entertainment product successful.” Does that mean villains and heroes? Well, not exactly. “I don’t know that you necessarily need any villains,” he said. “What people need are good story lines. Look at [“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”]. We want to do things that, obviously, cast NASCAR in the exciting and fun light that it is. We won’t script it in a way where we’re creating villains and rivalries.” Siegel said NASCAR officials have gone a long way in diversifying the sport, noting that there’s been an impact off the track, but he acknowledged that until there’s a top female driver or one of color, NASCAR will continue to be criticized. “I do think fans will catch on when we do have a star that people can connect with,” Siegel said, hoping to have a hand in that with “Changing Lanes.” “It will have an impact.”

Santerre Joins Revolution Racing

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andy-santerreMaine native Andy Santerre will begin a new chapter in his impressive auto racing career next month.
Santerre has sold his Camping World East Series inventory to the 909 Group and will work for their Revolution Racing team next season. He will be the competition director for the Camping World East Series teams. He has owned his Andy Santerre Motorsports Team since 1995. Previously, he had driven in NASCAR Busch competition and other divisions. The team inventory includes six race cars, the tractor-trailer and "everything we use for the race team including all of my equipment and tools." Santerre leased the shop itself but all of the equipment inside belonged to him. The 909 Group has taken over the operation responsibilities for Drive for Diversity and will own and operate 10 teams at different levels of racing dedicated to providing opportunities for minority and female drivers and crew members. Four of those drivers will be in the Camping World East Series and Santerre will basically oversee the operations of those teams. The other six teams will be in the Late Model Whelen All-American Series. He will begin his job Oct. 5 after the Camping World East Series concludes this weekend at Dover, Del. Rookie Brett Mofitt is driving for ASM this season and the 17-year-old is fourth in points. In addition to managing the race team, Santerre is also Moffitt's crew chief. He won't be a crew chief next season. ''I'm excited about it," said the four-time Camping World East Series points champion. "I love doing what I've been doing but trying to find sponsors and fund our team throughout the winter is really tough. We were struggling to keep the shop open from October to January. I told 1/8wife3/8 Sue I didn't want to go through that again. This was the perfect time to sell. ''My job will be to oversee the crews, the people doing the work on the cars. I won't have to turn a wrench as much as I have in the past," said Santerre, who will be doing the hiring and firing for the four teams. The 41-year-old Santerre had announced he intended to sell his inventory at Thompson International Speedway (Conn.) in July and John Story, who will serve as president of Revolution Racing, expressed interest in buying it. ''He was the only one who was serious about it. It was a fair deal for both of us," said Santerre. "I priced it fair so I could move it quickly. I'm finally seeing a return on my investment. ''I didn't want to break up the stuff. I wanted it to go to one place. I'm happy they're keeping it altogether," added Santerre, who preferred not to discuss the financial terms of the deal. He said it was also important the members of his race team be able to find jobs with him and that has occurred. ''That was a big part of my decision," he said. "I really wanted to bring the crew with me. That was definitely a big plus." The crew includes Santerre, wife Sue, fabricator Corey Williams of Boothbay Harbor; decal applicator and truck driver Warren Hamilton of Scarborough. Jerry Babb, also of Scarborough, who will be one of the crew chiefs and Massachusetts native Ed Horracks is the lead mechanic. Sue Santerre will be handling the travel itineraries and the licensing. Revolution Racing will operate a fully-equipped race shop in Mooresville, N.C. , 35 miles from Santerre's home in Harrisburg, N.C. ''Andy is the cornerstone of our program," said Story, former general manager for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. "If you go anywhere in Charlotte (N.C.) and tell someone Andy Santerre is going to be working with you, they'll tell you that you couldn't have made a better choice. He'll really kick our program into high gear. I've known Andy and Sue for a number of years and nobody has anything bad to say about either one of them. Having them with us speaks to the quality of program we're trying to build." Story said when he found out Santerre wanted to sell his assets, he wanted to first find out if Santerre would be interested in "partnering with us. ''This allows him to do what he loves and what he does best: Work on race cars and with young drivers. We want to build winners and that's what he has done his entire career," said Story. Story said he is optimistic that Santerre's reputation will help them attract more diversity drivers and some of those drivers will eventually land in the Sprint Cup series. A committee will select the drivers for the four Camping World East Series teams and the six Late Model teams at following the Drive for Diversity Combine Oct. 16-19 at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va. ''There will be a lot really good drivers out there," said Santerre. Story said there will be 29 drivers vying for the 10 jobs. Max Siegel, former president of DEI, heads up the Drive for Diversity program. He was formally the highest-ranking black man in NASCAR. Before he assumes his new responsibilities, Santerre will try to guide Moffitt to Victory Lane this weekend at Dover. ''We're 35 points out of third place and if we can get a top-five finish, we can get third," said Santerre. "The driver currently in third, Jody Lavender, doesn't run that well at Dover." Santerre and Moffitt will be reunited for the Toyota All-Star Showdown on Jan. 30 at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Drive for Diversity Adapts Academy-Style Training

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Competitors to Work Together Under One Ownership Umbrella Based In Charlotte

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (September 16, 2009) – The evolution of the Drive for Diversity, NASCAR’s leading on track diversity initiative, will continue in 2010 as competitors relocate to Charlotte and enter “academy-style” development under a single team ownership structure.  The 909 Group, which took over operational responsibilities for Drive for Diversity in 2009, will own and operate 10 teams fielding Drive for Diversity competitors.  Under the Revolution Racing banner, these minority and female drivers will compete on four NASCAR Camping World Series teams and six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series teams. In addition, Revolution will also create a youth racing initiative that will identify aspiring drivers who may eventually enter Drive for Diversity in late model stock cars. “Drive for Diversity, under the day to day management of The 909 Group, will continue to provide strong opportunities for minority and female competitors,” said Marcus Jadotte, Managing Director of Public Affairs for NASCAR, who oversees the sanctioning body’s diversity initiatives.  “This new structure for developing young drivers and crew members is an evolution of an initiative that has seen 31 drivers compete, winning 33 races.  D4D drivers will be located in the nerve center of NASCAR with greater access to industry resources, technology, training, testing, and shop experience.” Drive for Diversity is one of the most aggressive competition-based diversity programs in all of sports.  In 2009, 12 Drive for Diversity drivers have combined for six wins, 51 top fives and 125 top-10 finishes. The 909 Group, a sports and entertainment agency, will continue to provide marketing support to NASCAR’s diversity initiatives.  John Story will serve as President of Revolution Racing managing day-to-day operations of the company.  Max Siegel will maintain his role as Chief Executive Officer of both Revolution and The 909 Group. “We’ve spent most of 2009 thinking about ways to expand opportunities available to the drivers and crew members involved in Drive for Diversity,” Siegel said.  “All of the teams involved in the initiative since its inception in 2004 have provided meaningful support for the program.  To better assess and develop talent, we are putting the drivers under one roof and in identical cars.  This new standardized structure will also create more meaningful sponsorship opportunities that will in turn provide resources necessary to compete at the highest level with the goal of getting drivers to NASCAR’s premier series.” Andy Santerre, a four-time NASCAR Camping World Series champion as a driver and team owner, will join Revolution Racing to oversee its Camping World Series operations.  Blair Addis, a current Drive for Diversity team owner, will oversee Revolution Racing’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program. Current and former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers will serve as coaches and mentors to the drivers, who will be given additional seat time and be allowed to compete in more than one series as they develop. The coaches will share information with the drivers in the shop and during their intense on-track testing program which will begin in early November and continue throughout the 2010 season. In addition to drivers, Revolution, along with corporate partner Sprint, will continue to build on developing over-the-wall athletes led by long-time NASCAR pit crew coach Phil Horton, who has trained a significant number of current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew members. Revolution’s drivers for the 2010 season will be determined following the Drive for Diversity Combine presented by Sunoco Oct. 16-19.  Those drivers will be featured in a television series, “Changing Lanes,” developed in collaboration with the NASCAR Media Group and set to air in early 2010 on BET. The 10-part series will showcase the development of young Drive for Diversity competitors trying to make it in the big-time world of NASCAR racing.