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Rev Racing Announces Expanded Partnership with Sunoco
Rev Racing Announces Expanded Partnership with Sunoco
Concord, N.C. – Rev Racing, home to NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity driver Development Program, announced an enhanced 2020 partnership agreement with Sunoco. Sunoco, known as the “Official Fuel of NASCAR” and a leading fuel provider, will increase its partnership through the remainder of the year, becoming a full-time car sponsor of Rev Racing driver, Rajah Caruth.
Caruth is currently a second-year NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development Driver, piloting the No. 6 Toyota Camry Late Model Stock Car in the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and the No. 99 Legends car in the Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway as a youth development driver.
“Sunoco is excited to expand its relationship with Rev Racing and up-and-coming driver Rajah Caruth. Rajah is an incredibly talented driver, and we are proud to have the opportunity to play a part in supporting this future NASCAR star,” said Fred McConnell, Marketing Director for Sunoco. “Since its inception, Sunoco has supported Rev Racing because we believe in its important mission to provide opportunities that advance diverse drivers and team members up through the highest levels of NASCAR.”
Sunoco has been a partner of Rev Racing since 2009, when Rev Racing owner Max Siegel took over the competitive management of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program. Sunoco has been both a financial and product contributor with Rev Racing throughout the partnership.
We are thrilled that our relationship with our partners at Sunoco is continuing to grow,” said Max Siegel, owner of Rev Racing. “Our goals have continued to align through the years, as it remains a unified priority to provide young, diverse drivers with the support, training and resources to advance their careers. We are proud of Rajah’s accomplishment both on and off the track and know he will be a great representative of the Sunoco brand.”
Caruth will debut the No. 6 Sunoco Toyota this Saturday, July 25th, at Hickory Motor Speedway in the “Big 10” 100 lap race set to begin at 7 pm EST.
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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.
About Sunoco
Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) is a master limited partnership that distributes motor fuel to approximately 10,000 convenience stores, independent dealers, commercial customers and distributors located in more than 30 states. SUN’s general partner is owned by Energy Transfer Operating, L.P., a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET). Since 1966, Sunoco has fueled motorsports drivers and teams, and has been the Official Fuel of NASCAR since 2004
Rev Racing Late model season opener set for Hickory Motor Speedway
Concord, NC (June, 20 2020) – When the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Late Model Development Drivers take the green flag at Hickory Motor Speedway for their first race of the 2020 season, it will be with a trio of new faces to the series for Rev Racing. Rajah Caruth, Perry Patino, and Isabella Robusto will join teammate Gracie Trotter, a returnee from last year’s Late Model team. The group will travel to the Hickory Motor Speedway, today (June 20th), for the one day event in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
Isabella Robusto (No. 55 Max Siegel Inc./Eibach Toyota):
Isabella Robusto will join the Rev Racing team for the fourth year in a row. Robusto has been a participant of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development program for three years and has worked her way into a full-time Late Model ride with Rev Racing for the 2020 season. The 2019 Bojangles Summer Shootout championship runner up looks to gain experience as she continues her career progression.
Gracie Trotter (No. 2 FiveStar Race Car Bodies/Mobil 1 Toyota):
Gracie Trotter will compete for Rev Racing in her second year running full time in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. Trotter continues to actively race Super Late Models along with ARCA Menards Series West races for Bill McAnally Racing.
In 2018, Trotter became the highest finishing female in the Bojangles Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway winning two races and finishing second in points. In 2017, Trotter became the first female to win in the Young Lions division at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Perry Patino (No. 51 Honda Generators Toyota)
Perry Patino will join the Rev Racing roster for his first season, running full-time in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. Prior to joining the Rev Racing roster, Patino has competed in limited late model and late model competition, and winning in multiple divisions. The Montgomery, Alabama native looks to bring his winning experience to the team.
Rajah Caruth (No. 6 IRacing Toyota)
This past year, Caruth compiled 2 heat wins in the Bojangles Summer Shootout Series along with two top 10’s and a 13th place finish in points. In the eNASCAR Ignite Series, Caruth has compiled three wins, seven top 5’s, and 522 laps led. Overall, Caruth has compiled 82 wins, 416 top 5’s, and 6094 laps led on iRacing. Two weeks into the 2020 Summer Shootout, Caruth has compiled a top 5 and top 10 in consecutive weeks. Caruth has a plan in place for his first late model start for Rev and plans to execute it.
“I set a good goal for today”, said Caruth. “Anything better than that will be more than good for me and the team.”
Drivers are set to practice at 2:40 pm and qualify at 5:00 pm. Racing activities, for the four drivers, will include Twin 40’s beginning at 7:00 pm. There will be no autograph session.
Rev Racing Announces 2020 Youth Driver Development Class
Concord, NC (6/9/2020)
Two additional drivers will join Rev Racing’s youth driver class as part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program. Regina Sirvent, 17, and Lavar Scott, 16, will compete with previously announced Rev Racing youth drivers Rajah Caruth and Blake Lothian. All four drivers will compete at the Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The youth program targets drivers age 12 to 17 to compete in the INEX Legend Cars and serves as an entry point to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. Selected youth drivers are year-long members of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity team roster.
After several months of evaluation, youth drivers are chosen based on 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 different series.”
Rajah Caruth, 17, is currently running full-time in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series with Rev Racing. Caruth participated in the Youth Driver Development Program in 2019, where he compiled two heat wins in the Bojangles Summer Shootout Series along with two top 10’s and a 13th place finish in points. Currently, Caruth is top 25 in the eNASCAR Ignite Series after 5 races. Caruth won the Road to Pro Homestead-Miami race (5th split). Overall in 2020 he has 29 total wins, 114 top 5s and 1750 laps led in 257 starts. Caruth’s Legend car performance ultimately earned him a chance to compete in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Combine and secure a season-long ride in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series with Rev Racing. Caruth will debut in the NASCAR Whelen All- American Series June 20th at Hickory Speedway.
Blake Lothian, 16, from Wellesley, Massachusetts, will join the Rev Racing roster and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program for the second year in a row. Lothian started go-karting at age five and even at this young age it was clear he could hold his own on the track with adult racers. Lothian finished top-15 in 2019 Bojangles Summer Shootout point standings in the INEX US Legends Car Semi-Pro Division where he logged 5 top 10’s along with a heat victory in his 2019 campaign.
Lavar Scott, from Carney’s Point, New Jersey, will join the Rev Racing roster and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program for the first time this year. Scott began his career racing in a 600 Micro Sprint. At just 12 years old, he raced in the Tulsa Shootout in December 2015. In May of 2018, Scott finished 1st at Airport Speedway in the 600 Micro Class. Scott was a participant in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Combine in 2019. Evaluators saw potential in his abilities and tested with Scott throughout the 2019 season. Scott also was invited to the 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Stock Car Combine in October, and was offered a seat in a U.S. Legend car with Rev Racing in their youth development program for the 2020 season.
Regina Sirvent, from Mexico, City Mexico, will participate in the 2020 Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway and select number of other races with Rev Racing. Sirvent started racing karts when she was 9 years old on a road course in Cuernavaca, Morelos. After winning the local championship, she started racing at RokCup Mexico where she finished 2nd in the championship. She also participated in the Florida Winter Tour in 2014 and 2016, Junior Kart for the Rotax and Vortex championship, and most recently FB Bohn Mikel’s Trucks by NASCAR Peak Mexico Series where she garnered a top-10 finish in her first year.
“The NASCAR Drive for Diversity program cultivates growth and seizes the opportunity for development of minority and female drivers at the earliest age possible,” said Jusan M. Hamilton, NASCAR Director of Racing Operations and Event Management. “Now more than ever, this strong class of diverse drivers represents the future of NASCAR. Their success on track and growth into professionals is what the partnership between NASCAR and Rev Racing is built on and will measure our success as a program.”
The 2020 Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway will kick-off with a practice session on June 8. See http://legendsnation.com/2020/05/27/major-summer-shootout-information-announced-for-june/ for more details.
About Rev Racing: 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 manages the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. Rev Racing currently operates and manages drivers in the ARCA Menards Series East, NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and a youth racing initiative.
Driver Spotlight: Gracie Trotter
In her 2nd season with Rev, Gracie Trotter is one of the more experienced drivers in the program. With seat time in all three series that the team competes in, Trotter serves as a great reference to all of her teammates for advice and help. The 18 year old Denver, NC native had just began her late model season in the No. 2 FiveStar Race Car Bodies/Mobil 1 Toyota with Rev before the break caused by COVID-19, but now there’s more time to get to know our late model driver better.
Q: In the past year you have competed in legends cars, late models, and ARCA, how are you able to balance it all? Do you believe it helps your development as a driver being involved in 3 different series?
GT: I think running the different series helps me a lot. Even going back to run legend cars helps me stay fresh for when I get back into my Late Model or ARCA car. Although it’s a much different car, I still get better at learning, working and communicating with my crew chief, which helps me when I go work with different crew chiefs and teams.
Q: Being so busy with racing how do you find time for things off of the track?
GT: With my life wrapped around racing, there’s not much time to do things off the track that isn’t racing related! When I do not have any more racing work to do, I will go work for Calico Coatings or Cryptic Coatings!
GT: During this break I have been spending my weekends going fishing, working during the week at Cryptic Coatings, and a lot of iRacing each evening!
Q: Who was your favorite driver growing up and why?
GT: Tony Stewart was my favorite driver growing up, I think I chose him as my favorite driver when I was little because his car was orange and that’s my favorite color. I even have a Home Depot Tony Stewart race car pillow! He’s still one of my favorite race car drivers til this day because he is a bad to the bone, all-around winner and he didn’t take rubbish from anyone!
GT: If I were an animal I’d probably be a dolphin living in the Caribbean. I think it would be cool to swim in the clear waters all the time and see all the other cool creatures in the water. Also, dolphins are always very happy and friendly!
Q: Favorite food and why?
GT: My favorite food is definitely any cheese, but my favorite meal is sushi!
GT: The competition and the adrenaline from racing is what I miss the most. I also miss being able to see my racing family and team.
Q: Racing for BMR racing in ARCA how fun is it to compete against Chase and Nick? Do you three communicate about racing each other?
GT: It’s pretty fun racing against Chase and Nick. They are always hard on me off the track in a joking way so it’s fun to run with them and show em what I got!
Q: Are there any special talents or skills that you have that the world does not know about?
GT: I am actually a pretty good artist. I love to paint and sketch in my spare time.
Q: Being so busy with racing how do you find time for things off of the track?
GT: With my life wrapped around racing, there’s not much time to do things off the track that isn’t racing related! When I do not have any more racing work to do, I will go work for Calico Coatings or Cryptic Coatings!
Q: What are other activities have you participated in during this break?
GT: During this break I have been spending my weekends going fishing, working during the week at Cryptic Coatings, and a lot of iRacing each evening!
Making some practice laps in my @ENEOSUSA Toyota Camry preparing for the ENEOS 150 presented by @NAPAKnowHow in the Grand National Tour on @iRacing
— Gracie Trotter (@gracietrotter11) April 13, 2020
Make sure to tune in Wednesday night at 9pm EST on NBC Sports Gold or Track Pass for Free! pic.twitter.com/9djE3OBiqi
Q: Who was your favorite driver growing up and why?
GT: Tony Stewart was my favorite driver growing up, I think I chose him as my favorite driver when I was little because his car was orange and that’s my favorite color. I even have a Home Depot Tony Stewart race car pillow! He’s still one of my favorite race car drivers til this day because he is a bad to the bone, all-around winner and he didn’t take rubbish from anyone!
Q: If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?
GT: If I were an animal I’d probably be a dolphin living in the Caribbean. I think it would be cool to swim in the clear waters all the time and see all the other cool creatures in the water. Also, dolphins are always very happy and friendly!
Q: Favorite food and why?
GT: My favorite food is definitely any cheese, but my favorite meal is sushi!
Q: What do you miss about racing and being at the track?
GT: The competition and the adrenaline from racing is what I miss the most. I also miss being able to see my racing family and team.
Q: Racing for BMR racing in ARCA how fun is it to compete against Chase and Nick? Do you three communicate about racing each other?
GT: It’s pretty fun racing against Chase and Nick. They are always hard on me off the track in a joking way so it’s fun to run with them and show em what I got!
Q: Are there any special talents or skills that you have that the world does not know about?
GT: I am actually a pretty good artist. I love to paint and sketch in my spare time.
Driver Spotlight: Chase Cabre
Coming off of a 2nd place finish in NASCAR’s Saturday Night Thunder, Chase Cabre gave us some insight about what he’s been up to during his time away from the track. Cabre had logged 2 top-10 finishes in the 2020 campaign and was looking forward to repeating his 2019 ARCA Menards Series East success before COVID-19 caused the season to come to a halt. This week we caught up with Chase to get an update on how he’s spending his time away from the track.
1. You finished 2nd in the Saturday Night Thunder iRacing event at Bristol, how fun was it to compete again? Also is there anything you would’ve done differently to change the outcome?
CC: It was very cool to compete in the Bristol race. Fun racing with everyone again and I really wish I could have pulled off a win, but I got to exhibit my talents even while we’re on a break.
2. What are other activities outside of iRacing that you’ve done during this break?
I’ve been having some fun on the pitbike. We made a little track and have been keeping my sanity by doing that.
I’ve been having some fun on the pitbike. We made a little track and have been keeping my sanity by doing that.
3. We’ve seen you on your dirt bike on social media lately, does it feel good to get back to your 2 wheel roots to get a different feel and perspective?
It’s so fun. I love riding, especially pit bikes. They are so much fun to just throw around and create good memories with friends.
It’s so fun. I love riding, especially pit bikes. They are so much fun to just throw around and create good memories with friends.
4. You have been very active on social media break, tik tok specifically. How important has it for you to try and get fans to know you better in this time away from the track?
CC: I have always enjoyed being on camera. There’s a bigger strategy in place, tiktok is just a small portion of it.
CC: I have always enjoyed being on camera. There’s a bigger strategy in place, tiktok is just a small portion of it.
5. If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?@chase_cabre Ever opened your door and realized you were in Victory Lane? ##nascar ##fyp ##foryoupage ##4u
♬ SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK – Joji
CC: A monkey because they’re the best in my opinion. Very intelligent and they’re the closest relative to us in the animal kingdom so that adaptation wouldn’t be too hard right?
6. Favorite food and why?
CC: Breakfast foods; eggs, cereal, Im a huge breakfast guy. Love it.
7. What do you miss about racing and being at the track?
CC: The competitiveness of the sport from week to week. I miss it so much. We were just getting going before this happened and I feel like we were about to regain the momentum that we had from last season.
8. Your dad has a background in professional wrestling, did you watch Wrestlemania a couple of weekends ago? Do you watch pro wrestling at all and give us a little insight into your dad’s wrestling background.
CC: My father Lou Cabre was a professional wrestler under multiple names and even competed at Wrestlemania before, but Im not a big wrestling fan like I was as a kid, but I keep up with it from a far for sure.
9. Are there any special talents or skills that you have that the world does not know about?
CC: If you can’t tell from my recent videos, I love editing, shooting, and as Hollywood says, “Making movie magic.” Along with that some may not know that I assist in the design and decaling of both our ARCA Menards Series cars. It’s a fun process getting every detail correct that you envisioned.
CC: If you can’t tell from my recent videos, I love editing, shooting, and as Hollywood says, “Making movie magic.” Along with that some may not know that I assist in the design and decaling of both our ARCA Menards Series cars. It’s a fun process getting every detail correct that you envisioned.
Driver Spotlight: Rajah Caruth
Rajah Caruth was preparing to officially begin his 2020 season in a legends car for Rev Racing at the quarter-mile oval inside Atlanta Motor Speedway. He, along with Blake Lothian made the trip south to compete, but the event along with the rest of the sporting world came to a halt due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This past week we caught up with Rajah and discussed what has been happening in his life during the time away from the track.
Q: How are you spending your time away from racing?
RC: I’ve spent my time away from the racetrack primarily on iRacing where I have recently joined Richmond Raceway’s eSports team, along with doing schoolwork and finding things productive to do around the house.
? ?ichmond Raceway
— Richmond Raceway eSports (@RReSports) March 23, 2020
? ?Sports
? ?evelopment
We’re proud to welcome @rajahcaruth_ and @GarrettManes to the #RReSports x @SunocoRacing family as the charter members of our Coca-Cola ReD team.
?: https://t.co/LgQjXdD3E8 pic.twitter.com/F3M7rQisRK
Q:Favorite TV show and why?
RC: My favorite TV show is the Office because I see a lot of similarities between the social shenanigans at Dundler Mifflin and the high school I currently attend.
Q:Favorite restaurant and food from the restaurant?
RC:My favorite restaurant is anywhere that has quality chicken tenders because you can’t ever go wrong with chicken tenders.
Q:If you could be any animal what would you be?
RC: If I could be any animal, I’d be a tiger because of the strength and power that a tiger represents, but not because of the Tiger King Netflix documentary.
Q:Have you participated in any of the stay at home social media challenges? If so which one(s)?
RC:Not yet, but I will likely soon. Have been trying to focus on being the best me during all this free time so far.
Q:How are you preparing for the upcoming late model season?
RC:In prep for our late model season, I’ve been working on improving my fitness, diet, and overall health along with using iRacing as a tool to improve my skills while we have all of this extra time that usually is not available.
Q:Special talent/skill that not many people know you have?
RC:Not many people know that I’m pretty good at basketball, and can draw as well. Those are some activities that I do in my spare time.
Q:What do you miss most about racing? What do you miss most about being at the track?
RC: Just being able to race and do what I love is what I miss the most about being at the racetrack.I also miss the competition the most along with the people I was used to seeing constantly, but I know that we’ll be back at the track at some point doing what we love.
Me and @blake_lothian pic.twitter.com/ohFpqUHFkB
— Rajah Caruth (@rajahcaruth_) March 31, 2020
Driver Spotlight: Blake Lothian Youth Development Driver
Driver Spotlight: Blake Lothian Youth Development Driver
Concord, NC (3/26/2020)-
Blake Lothian was preparing to compete on the quarter-mile oval at the Atlanta Motor Speedway with Rajah Caruth. The event along with the rest of the sporting world came to a halt due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This past week we caught up with Blake and asked him a few questions to get to know our youth development driver a bit better!
Q: How are you spending your time away from racing?
BL First off I am spending a ton of time with my family just watching tv, movies and playing games were also taking the time to get outside more and exploring some cool parks around Massachusetts like the Quincy quarries lastly i’m taking the time to do some more video editing
Q:Favorite TV show and why?
BL: Honestly that’s a hard one for me but, almost everything on MAVTV because it’s almost all motorsports and I’m also watching Gold Rush because ever since I was a kid I have been interested in mining.
Q:Favorite restaurant and food from the restaurant?
BL: I have to say It has to be cheese pizza from Peter’s Pizza because of how great it always is.
Q:If you could be any animal what would you be?
BL: Definitely a hawk so I could fly and see everyone from a greater view and who doesn’t ever think about flying?
Q: What do you miss most about being at the track?
BL: I miss all the people for sure, the crew, the atmosphere and just that rush you get when you crank the engine for the first time of the day at the track.
Q: Have you participated in any of the stay at home social media challenges? If so which one(s)?
BL: I’ve done the push up one and I’m planning to do a few more of the NASCAR ones to help the time pass while we’re all inside.
BL: I’m also getting into iracing a little bit more. My family ended up getting our own sim rig so I can stay fresh for when we return to the track. I miss racing a ton like it’s been my entire life since I can remember and I hope we can get back to some on track action soon once everything is under control.
Cabre and Sanchez begin Sioux Chief Showdown in Phoenix
Rev Racing looks to impress in first Phoenix race
Concord, NC (3/5/2020) – Rev Racing drivers will compete at the General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway for the first of 10 NASCAR ARCA Sioux Showdown races.
The Development Drivers are looking to score great results in the desert. Rev Racing drivers Chase Cabre and Nick Sanchez are both looking to pace the field in their first start at Phoenix. Rev Racing’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers have never competed at the 1-mile oval.
Chase Cabre (Age: 22 – Hometown: Tampa, Fla.)
Chase Cabre, driver of the No. 4 Max Siegel Inc./Eibach Toyota will be returning to the team for his second year. Cabre began his racing career on dirt motorcycles and transitioned to dirt and stock car racing as time progressed. Cabre had a breakout 2019 campaign that included 2 wins.
Driver highlights include:
- Finished 2nd in the 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East point standings
- 2019 wins at New Hampshire Motor speedway and Memphis in NASCAR K&N East
- Became a part of the elite NASCAR Next Class of 2017
“Phoenix is one that is circled for me” says Cabre. “We were dominant on flat tracks last season, so I am very optimistic going into this weekend.”
Nick Sanchez (Age: 18 – Hometown: Miami, Fla.)
Nick Sanchez, driver of the No. 2 UTI/NTI Toyota will be making his 5th start in ARCA and 2nd of his first full season in Phoenix. The 18 year old Florida native will take on the 1 mile track looking to improve on his 4th place finish at New Smyrna. In his first 4 ARCA appearances, Sanchez tallied 8th and 14th place finishes at South Boston while earning his 1st career pole that weekend along with 8th in New Hampshire in 2019. In his second start on a track 1 mile or above, Sanchez is looking to gain larger track experience. Sanchez’s highlights include:
Earned his first NASCAR K&N Series pole at South Boston Speedway
- First win at Myrtle Beach Speedway in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
- Win at Langley Speedway in Whelen All-American Series
- 2019 Wendell Scott trailblazer award recipient
“I’m looking forward to Phoenix and seeing the improvements on our race cars as well as my feeling behind the wheel.”
From the Drive for Diversity Program’s start, Rev Racing has had 21 wins, 97 top 5s, and 198 top 10
finishes in the NASCAR ARCA East Series, with drivers finishing in the top-10 in points in every season.
The duo will have two practice sessions Friday. On Friday, practice will take place at 10 a.m. followed by qualifying at 2:30 p.m. Friday, and the NASCAR General Tire 150 at 7 p.m. ET.
2019 Drive for Diversity Combine Participants are announced
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.
NASCAR Hometracks Dover Preview
NASCAR Hometracks Dover Preview
BY DAVEY SEGAL NASCAR.COM SEPTEMBER 30, 2019
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.
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. Four Drivers Selected for NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program After National Combine in North Carolina
Four Drivers Selected for NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program After National Combine in North Carolina
Drivers Ages 12 to 16 to Train with Rev Racing for Summer 2019
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 1, 2019) – Four talented youth drivers have been selected to hone their racing skills as participants in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program after a national talent search in March.
NASCAR and Rev Racing hosted a youth driver combine at GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, N.C., where drivers ages 12 to 16 were evaluated during practice sessions and heat races.
Four drivers were selected to the 2019 class, including Rajah Caruth, 16, an iRacing competitor from Washington D.C., with aspirations of a traditional racing career. Among the new participants are Lacy Kuehl, 12, of Sarasota, Fla., who has experience racing dirt oval flat karts, and Blake Lothian, 16, a World Formula Kart driver from Wellesley, Mass.
Fourteen-year-old U.S. Legends car driver Isabella Robusto of Fort Mill, S.C., returns to Rev Racing having trained with the youth driver development program in 2017 and 2018.
“We were very impressed with what we saw from these drivers at the combine in March,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR director, racing operations and event management. “Each driver demonstrated strong potential and we believe will be successful in racing. The four selected stood out based on their abilities both on and off the track, have great experience and left quite the positive impression on our evaluators.”
NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Rev Racing seek the highest quality candidates from diverse backgrounds and develop them into successful NASCAR drivers. During the summer, the youth program provides selected drivers with equipment, mentoring and competition experience.
Rev Racing, the competition arm of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program, will put the four drivers in INEX Legend Cars in 2019. Each driver will compete in the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway in June and July, and several other events throughout the summer.
“We have really taken an in-depth look at how we develop and train our drivers at the youth level,” said Max Siegel, CEO of Rev Racing. “We’ve seen the program grow over the last 10 years and make a substantial impact in NASCAR. The level of talent and enthusiasm we are already seeing in these young individuals is both promising and exciting. Connecting with drivers as early as possible allows us to have a greater impact on driver development on and off the race track. Our goal is to see these drivers move through the pipeline and into the national series.”
The youth development program serves as a stepping stone for drivers to eventually move to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series race cars with the goal of one day competing for a NASCAR national series team.
The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program, a separate program that will host its combine later this year, introduces talent to Late Model Stock cars and offers opportunities for drivers to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and Whelen All-American Series with the Rev Racing team.
Graduates of the youth development program include NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver Hailie Deegan, 17, and Rev Racing Late Model driver Nicholas Sanchez, 17. In 2018, Deegan became the first female driver to win a K&N Pro Series race after taking the checkered flag at Meridian Speedway in Idaho. Deegan won her second K&N Pro Series race in 2019, finishing first at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track.
Sanchez raced in last year’s Bojangles Summer Shootout with Rev Racing’s Legends Car program and recently completed his rookie season in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
The 2019 class features the following drivers:
Rajah Caruth: In 2018, Caruth raced the Legends ’34 Coupe in the inaugural season of the eNASCAR Ignite Series, NASCAR and iRacing’s youth series created specifically to identify and attract young and diverse talent. He made 18 starts in the eight-week regular season, where he finished second seven times, made the playoffs and advanced to the championship round. Caruth has raced in more than 230 races on iRacing thus far in 2019 with 21 wins and more than1,600 laps led.
Lacy Kuehl: Kuehl has raced in a dirt oval flat kart 32 times with one first-place finish. Notable accomplishments include winning at the Inverness Grand Prix and racing for Diabetic Ketoacidosis survivors. Kuehl would eventually like to earn an invitation to the Maxxis Nationals.
Blake Lothian: Lothian raced nine of 10 races in a World Formula Kart in the 2018 New Hampshire Karting Association (NHKA) Outdoor Series in New Hampshire. His highest finish was third place and he finished the season seventh out of more than 20 drivers. In 2017, he was the NHKA Briggs and Stratton LO206 Senior Champion with seven first-place finishes and three second-place finishes.
Isabella Robusto: A current youth development driver, Robusto competed in the 2018 Bojangles Summer Shootout 10-race series where she finished sixth in the overall points standings. She won Battle at the Big Top at Texas Motor Speedway, a U.S. Legends National Qualifier.
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.
Chase Cabre Hoping To Carry Speed into Bristol
For part of the New Smyrna 175 at New Smyrna Speedway, it appeared Chase Cabre was on his way to earning his first K&N Pro Series victory.
After starting sixth and leading 13 laps in his No. 4 Toyota, a problem with the rear end started creating smoke from the car, ultimately forcing him to retire from the event after 77 of the 175 laps.“The rear end seal, I don’t know how or what, but it failed,” Cabre said. “It had a tear in it. It’s at Buzzy’s shop, which is the guy who builds the rear ends. They’re figuring out why or how but all we know is that a rear end seal failed.”
Despite ending up the first race with a 17th-place finish, the Tampa, Florida native was encouraged by the speed found in the Rev Racing camp, specifically at a race track he hasn’t performed well at historically.
“To come out of the box and have speed, it was definitely nice to have,” he said. “I haven’t really had a lot of speed at New Smyrna in the past. I said at the beginning of the year, this has to be the breakout season. We started out with a ton of speed, we’re behind in points right now, but I think we can knock some wins out of the park and we’ll climb up the ladder pretty quick.”
For Cabre, winning has been easier said than done. In 29 career K&N Pro Series East starts, he’s yet to earn a checkered flag. He has seven top fives and 15 top 10s to his credit, including a career-best finish of second at Memphis in 2017. He was also leading coming into the final turn at South Boston last season.
Racing-Reference: Chase Cabre Career Statistics
“I have no idea what that holds for the future. I have no clue,” Cabre said. Especially with everything that’s happening next season with the ARCA merger with K&N. I think this year has got to be the year that I go out, lay it all on the line and try to bring home wins and a championship and people will learn who Chase Cabre is. With that merge happening, we have no idea what the future holds for the K&N Series, for Rev and what their plans are versus what my plans are. We’ll just have to play it by ear and give them something to talk about when they go through the decision making process.”
He’s been close before to entering Victory Lane, and is hoping some change atop the pit box and in the shop will assist in getting over that proverbial hump.
“We had a new addition to our team which was Doug Howe,” Cabre said. “Being my crew chief for the remainder of the season, he’s definitely somebody I can really rely on. He’s done a lot of work in the past. A new car chief and new mechanic, it’s a fresh start. Taking nothing away from my old team, I love them to death, but sometimes you need a little bit of change to give things a fresh feel. Hopefully this is the change we need, we gel and mesh. It seemed to work out at New Smyrna and we just need to capitalize on the finishes and go take some wins from them.”
The next place he’ll look to do that at is Bristol Motor Speedway, a place that hasn’t been too kind fo Cabre. In two starts, he has an average finish of 22.5, failing to finish last year’s event (electrical).
“That place hasn’t been good to me, but neither had New Smyrna,” he said. “I’m going there with the same car my brother (Collin) had a couple years ago. He took the lead from Harrison (Burton) but had a tire going down. So it definitely shows we’ll have speed there, show the same speed we had at New Smyrna.”
Cabre is also planning on seeking out his Rev Racing teammate, Ruben Garcia Jr., for some advice in the month leading up to the second race of the season.
“Ruben has run pretty strong there in the past and my brother was really good there,” he said. “Being able to talk to them, but also my old crew chief Mark Green has now transitioned into our dover coach and he’s put in a myriad of laps on racetracks you couldn’t even imagine. To have Mark be able to oversee everything, step out of the crew chief role, have him as a driver coach and watch every single lap–he can say ‘I see you doing this, I see you doing this here,’ or ‘that there, try this, try that.’ Having that second set of eyes to watch you throughout practice and kind of coach you up, I feel like that’ll help in the long haul.”
The Zombie Auto 150 will go green from the World’s Fastest Half Mile on Saturday, April 6. Todd Gilliland is the defending winner of the event.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2019) – NASCAR Drive for Diversity pit crew members Brehanna Daniels and Breanna O’Leary will make their DAYTONA 500® debut together as tire-changers on Cody Ware’s No. 52 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 during Sunday’s race at Daytona International Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
In doing so, Daniels and O’Leary will become the first female graduates of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program to go over the wall in the Great American Race®.
The tire-changers will be joined by tire-carriers Brandon Banks and Phil Thomas – also NASCAR Drive for Diversity pit crew alums – on the No. 52 Rick Ware Racing team for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ race.
“The DAYTONA 500 is such a huge stage and getting to share the experience with Brehanna will make it that much sweeter,” said O’Leary, who made her debut in NASCAR’s top series at Michigan International Speedway in 2018. “We came in together, trained together and got better together – and now February 17 will be another milestone we get to share together.”
Daniels and O’Leary will return to the same iconic race track where they first pitted together for Rick Ware Racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ Coke Zero Sugar 400 last July.
“I’m really looking forward to pitting in the DAYTONA 500 and having my teammate alongside me,” said Daniels. “It’s incredible how far we’ve come in such a short time and I couldn’t be more excited to be back at Daytona International Speedway.”
In 2016, Daniels and O’Leary were recruited to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program by Phil Horton, longtime pit crew coach for Rev Racing. O’Leary had been an outfielder on the Alcorn State University softball team and Daniels played Division I basketball at Norfolk State University.
The professional tire-changers now share an apartment in Concord, N.C., and have gone over the wall in more than 60 combined race events across NASCAR’s national series and the ARCA Menards Series.
None, however, is more prestigious than Sunday’s DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
“In NASCAR racing, the stage doesn’t get any bigger than this – it’s the DAYTONA 500,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR director, racing operations and event management. “Brehanna, Breanna and their NASCAR Drive for Diversity teammates have trained diligently for this moment and have earned the opportunity to compete at this level. We’re excited to watch them perform on Sunday.”
“We are proud to have these remarkable women on our team and we look forward to having them join us more throughout the 2019 season,” said Rick Ware, owner of Rick Ware Racing. “Last July, Rick Ware Racing was the perfect fit for Brehanna and Breanna as the first female NASCAR Drive for Diversity tire-changers to pit on the same team at the Cup level. We have always stressed our family philosophy at RWR, so we welcomed them into our family and they performed very well.”
Daniels, O’Leary, Banks and Thomas are among more than 50 graduates of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program currently working in the NASCAR industry. In 2019, 28 alums will begin the season pitting on Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams.
Last February, Derrell Edwards became the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity pit crew member to be part of a DAYTONA 500-winning team when driver Austin Dillon raced to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.
The 61st running of the DAYTONA 500 will be broadcast live on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN 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 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, 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 https://revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin. Rev Racing Heads to New Smyrna Speedway for Season Opener
Concord, NC (Feb. 8, 2019) – This Sunday, Rev Racing drivers will return to New Smyrna Speedway (NSS) for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) season opener.Rev Racing’s team of drivers were selected to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program after a competitive combine held last October at New Smyrna Speedway. Drivers will compete for Rev Racing in the NKNPSE and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for a full season. The 2019 K&N East driver class is led by two returning drivers, Chase Cabre and Rubén García Jr.. Late model drivers include, Nicholas Sanchez, Brooke Storer, Ernie Francis Jr. and Gracie Trotter. Francis will run a select number of K&N East races throughout the season.
Rubén García Jr. (No. 6 NTI/MSI Toyota): Returning for his fourth season with Rev Racing, Rubén García Jr. brings his talents back to the NKNPSE. During his 2018 season, García balanced racing in the NKNPSE and running full time in the NASCAR Peak Mexico Series, where he won his second championship title. In this past NKNPSE season, García finished third in point standings, capturing his first two victories in the the United States, at Memphis International Raceway and Dover International Speedway. He and his team have their eye on the NKNEPS Championship.
“This year, we are going to have to make it happen,” said Rubén García Jr.. “To win a championship, we must start the year right from the very beginning. We are going to NSS with a winning mindset.”
Chase Cabre (No. 4 Honda Generators/Braille Battery Toyota): 22-year-old, Chase Cabre, will join the Rev Racing roster for the third year. Cabre started racing at the age of four in motocross and has found success on the track ever since. Most recently in the off-season, Cabre finished fourth place in the 2018 Tulsa Shootout in the Stock Non-Wing Division. Cabre earned eight top-10s and three top-5s in his 2018 NKNPSE season. Cabre, also has a winning mindset as the green flag drops on the NKNPSE season.
“A championship at the end of the season starts and ends with good finishes,” said Cabre. “We are looking to walk out on top in round one.”
Under Rev Racing owner Max Siegel’s leadership, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development class aligns drivers with a team of executives, athletic directors, crew chiefs and mentors tasked with helping drivers achieve career successes. “We are excited to get the season started at New Smyrna Speedway,” said Siegel. “This year’s class brings both experienced and rookie drivers. Our ultimate goal with every class and experience level is to prepare them for success at the K&N level and eventually the national series. Every year presents new opportunities for growth and we look forward to finding what we are capable of this season. We have never been more positioned for another championship.”
From the Drive for Diversity Program’s start, Rev Racing has had 19 wins, 88 top-5, and 186 top-10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, with drivers finishing in the top-10 in points in every season.
Rev Racing will get back to the track on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at New Smyrna Speedway. Group qualifying will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the autograph session at 6:30 p.m. and the New Smyrna “175” at 7:40 p.m. EST.
Another Historic Weekend for Revolution Racing
It was another historic weekend for Revolution Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, with Ryan Gifford earning his first career Coors Light Pole Award for the UNOH Performance 200 at Martinsville Speedway. Gifford went on to lead 99 laps of the race before a battery failure dropped him to the tail-end of the field on a restart. He rebounded to a 12th-place finish in the rain shortened event.
It is the first East series pole for Revolution Racing and the fifth pole for the team in its five months of operation. It is also the most laps lead by a Revolution Racing driver this season. Gifford is the first African American pole winner in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East history.
“I really wasn’t expecting the pole, I was expecting a top five, but to come out here and get it done on the second lap when everyone else was running their fast-time on their first lap is awesome,” said Gifford, driver of the No. 2 Revolution Racing Chevrolet. “It says what kind of cars we have over there at Revolution. I wish I could say somebody’s name and thank them for coming on board, but we really don’t have a big name on the side of the car this week so hopefully that will come about for the next few races.”
Darrell Wallace, Jr., who became the youngest driver and first African American to win a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race earlier this season, scored his second consecutive third-place finish in the No. 6 Revolution Racing Chevrolet, leading 15 laps along the way. Wallace is currently second in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings, just 8 points behind leader Ryan Truex.
“It was a great points day for us, it moved us up to second which is awesome but I hate we had to start at the back,” said Wallace, who qualified fifth but started at the rear of the 32 car field due to an unapproved adjustment. “It was a fun race, I had to use a lot of patience and work my way through the field to the third-place finish.”
Sergio Pena, driver of the No. 4 Revolution Racing Chevrolet, qualified third for the UNOH Performance 200 and ran in the top 10 for most of the day. Pena was forced to pit for damage to the left front fender after an accident late in the race and slipped to 14th before rain moved into the area, shortening the race to 175 laps. Pena is 14th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings.
Mackena Bell’s string of bad luck continued this weekend, with motor problems plaguing the No. 8 Revolution Racing Chevrolet all weekend. Bell also suffered a flat tire and had to pit under green, putting her three laps down to the leaders spoiling what could have been a top-10 run for the No. 8 car. She finished 18th in the race after qualifying 23rd, but continues to show improvement every week.
“I was really impressed with Mackena this weekend,” said Jerry Babb, crew chief for the No. 8. “She fought two issues that were out of her control between the engine trouble and the flat tire, but used it as motivation to keep digging instead of letting it get her rattled. We see improvement with her every week. Race four was better than race three and race three was better than race two. Her stamina and physical fitness level is right where they need to be, and now she has some experience in these East cars. We’re confident that race five will be even better than race four.”
The UNOH Performance 200 from Martinsville Speedway will air Thursday, June 10 at 6 p.m. ET on SPEED.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East returns to action Friday, June 25 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
For more information about Revolution Racing, or for sponsorship opportunities with the team, please visit www.revolutionracing.net. Revolution Late Models Strong at Tri-County, Hickory
It was an exciting weekend for Revolution Racing, with Jason Romero kicking off the weekend with a pole at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) Friday night and Katie Hagar scoring two top-five finishes, including a strong fifth-place run at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway to cap off the weekend on Saturday night.
Romero set fast-time at Tri-County Motor Speedway in the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model with a lap of 16.420 seconds.
“I wasn’t sure if that was going to be a good enough lap for the pole, but we’ll take it,” said Romero. “We tied for fast-time a couple of weeks ago with the MBC Group car, and Becca Kasten was on the pole the week after that. As a team, we’ve been really strong here.”
Romero started the 50 lap feature third after the invert. He finished fifth, right behind Hagar who finished fourth in the No. 5 AirTight Late Model.
Saturday night Revolution Racing headed to Hickory Motor Speedway for another 50 lap late model feature. Hagar struggled in qualifying, lining up 15th to start the main event. She found her rhythm from the drop of the green flag and began picking off cars one by one.
After multiple attempts at a restart on lap 33, Hagar was running eighth. The final laps went all green, leaving Hagar to make her move on the race track. With five to go she had moved into fifth, and held on for her second top five in two nights.
“We really did struggle in practice and qualifying,” said Hagar. “It was my first weekend working with (crew chief) Danny Johnson, and we had to work on our communication a little bit early in the day. We got it figured out, got on the same page and we came out in the race and showed what we’re capable of doing. I have to thank my team for all of their hard work today, and AirTight Mechanical for their support. We had a great run.”
Romero started and finished eighth, but also had to work his way from the back of the field after getting hit from behind on lap 6. He restarted 17th and drove his way back to a top-10 finish. Reitenour finished 15th after starting 16th.
Hagar, Romero and teammate Jessica Brunelli are scheduled to return to Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday, May 14, followed by a trip to Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C., on May 15. Rain Leads to Sunday Race for Cherry, Reitenour
Michael Cherry and Megan Reitenour found themselves in a Sunday afternoon feature after rain postponed Saturday night’s 100 lap late model race at Hickory (N.C.) Speedway. The race was run Sunday afternoon, with Cherry finishing ninth in the No. 6 MBC Group Late Model and Reitenour finishing 11th in the No. 1 Late Model.
“We’re getting better every time out,” said Blair Addis, Revolution Racing’s Late Model Director of Competition. “This is Michael and Megan’s second race of the year here at Hickory and they are showing a lot of improvement and giving us good feedback. We’re happy with what they’re showing us so far.”
Cherry qualified eighth in the No. 6 MBC Group Late Model, but dropped to the rear of the 14 car field early in the race. At the halfway point Cherry had moved back into the top 10, passing five cars during a long green-flag run.
The only caution of the race came on lap 83, 10 laps too late for Cherry who had gone a lap down to the leaders at lap 74 while running ninth. Cherry was unable to regain his lap and finished the race ninth.
Reitenour qualified 10th in the No. 1 Late Model and started the race in the ninth position. She fell back to 14th mid-way through the race, but was able to work her way back to an 11th-place finish.
“We had a good car in practice this afternoon, but we could have used one more session today to get it dialed in,” said Reitenour. “We had a green race track today after all that rain last night and we really weren’t sure what to expect. We learn a little bit more every time we come out here, and we’ll take our notes back to the shop and see what we can do to make it better for next time.”
Reitenour and Cherry will take next weekend off, but they will return to the track, along with teammate Becca Kasten, May 7 at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.). They will race again at Hickory on Saturday, May 8. Cherry Second Again at Tri-County
Michael Cherry scored another top five at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) Friday night with his second second-place finish of the season in the No. 6 MBC Group Late Model.
“I hope this doesn’t turn into one of those things where we’re always the bridesmaid and never the bride,” joked Cherry after the race. “Seriously, though, we had a great car tonight and I can’t thank Revolution Racing enough for this opportunity. We had some great people working on the car, with Robert Huffman as my crew chief and (NASCAR K&N Pro Series) East driver Ryan Gifford spotting for me.”
Cherry qualified fourth for the 50 lap feature, but found himself second after a first lap caution. Cherry held on to second-place for the remainder of the race, battling for the lead on several restarts while holding off a charge from behind. Cherry’s runner-up finish is his second in two races at Tri-County Motor Speedway this season. He has three top fives and six top 10s in six races overall.
Reitenour qualified seventh in the No. 1 Late Model, and ran in the top 10 all night. A multi-car wreck just past the half-way point gave her the opportunity to move into the top five. Reitenour hung on to fourth for the final 20 laps of the race, earning her first top five of the season.
Kasten’s day started out on a high note, setting fast time in the No. 5 AirTight Late Model. She started the feature third after the invert, and found herself involved in two early cautions. Sent to the rear on both restarts, Kasten was working her way back through the field at a rapid pace. She was passing for ninth on lap 21 when she was hit from behind and sent spinning down the backstretch. Damage to the car ended the night early for the No. 5 AirTight machine. Kasten was scored 13th.
Cherry, Kasten and Reitenour are all scheduled to race tomorrow night at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Weekend Preview: Tri-County & Hickory
AirTight Mechanical joins Revolution Racing this weekend for a double-header weekend of racing. Becca Kasten will pilot the No. 5 AirTight Late Model at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C., Friday night before heading to Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway on Saturday night. She will be joined by her Revolution Racing teammates Michael Cherry (No. 6 MBC Group Late Model) and Megan Reitenour (No. 1 Late Model).
Event Information: Late Model Stock 50 laps Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday, April 23 at 8 p.m.
Late Model Stock 100 laps Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday, April 24 at 7 p.m.
Michael Cherry
Team: No. 6 MBC Group Late Model
Crew Chief: Robert Huffman
Cherry on returning to Tri-County Motor Speedway:
“As a team, we’re doing pretty good at Tri-County Motor Speedway so far this season. We finished second with the MBC Group Late Model in our first race out there this season, and our teammate Jason Romero tied for fast-time and finished third in that same car his first time out there. I think we’re on the right track and I’m looking forward to going out there and running up front again this weekend.”
Fast Facts:
- Cherry has two career starts at Tri-County Motor Speedway. His best finish, a second-place, came in the No. 6 MBC Group Late Model on April 2.
- Cherry made his first start at Hickory Motor Speedway last weekend. He finished seventh.
- Robert Huffman, crew chief for the No. 6 MBC Group Late Model this weekend, has two late model track championships (1988 and 1989) at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Rebecca Kasten
Team: No. 5 AirTight Late Model
Crew Chief: Danny Johnson
Kasten on double duty weekends: “It puts a little bit of pressure on a driver to keep the fenders clean when you know you have to go out and race the same car the next night, but as a development driver I also like getting as much seat time as I can. I’d race every night if I had the opportunity, so these double-header weekends don’t really bother me. Honestly, I’m really looking forward to getting back to Tri-County. We qualified second our first time out and were running really well before going a lap down in the pits fixing some damage. I’m looking forward to going out there this weekend and putting together a good, clean run.” Fast Facts:
- Kasten has three top 10s this season, including an eighth-place finish at Tri-County Motor Speedway.
- Kasten finished 12th last weekend in her first career start at Hickory Motor Speedway.
- Kasten has a new sponsor on board the No. 5 Late Model this weekend. AirTight Mechanical, a critical site HVAC service contractor in Charlotte, N.C., has joined Revolution Racing as primary sponsor of the No. 5 machine.
Megan Reitenour
Team: No. 1 Late Model
Crew Chief: David Flynn
Reitenour on racing at multiple tracks throughout the season: “I’ve run a touring series in the past and I’ve run at a single track all season before as well. I like the challenge that comes with running at a different track every week, but it’s also nice to be able to learn and improve at a single track. This season, I’m getting the best of both worlds, running at three different tracks throughout the season. I’ve raced three weekends at three different tracks so far. This weekend I get to make return trips to Hickory and Tri-County, so I’m pretty excited to go out there and see what we can do.” Fast Facts:
- Reitenour has had success at Hickory in the past, winning the Extreme Trophies 100 (Super Cup Stock Car Series) in 2008.
- A string of bad luck has kept Reitenour outside of the top 10 so far this season. She’s looking to turn things around with solid runs at Hickory and Tri-County this weekend.
- Reitenour ran a full-season in the late model division at Tri-County Motor Speedway last year. She won rookie of the year honors and finished fourth overall in the standings.