by NASCAR Makes Point of Emphasis to Give Opportunities for Minorities and Females
By Tyler Jones via The Indian Leader, @TylerJonesLive
Gentlemen, start your engines…
The popular slogan it’self is the voice of racing. For years, that has been the command to signify that it is time to roll, but things have changed. While some might view the sports as being white man driven, over time, that type of thinking has become an ignorant state of mine.
In 2004, NASCAR instituted a Drive for Diversity program with one goal in mind. Their mission is simple: to engage women and people of diverse, ethnic and racial backgrounds in all facets of the NASCAR industry.
The program has been around for ten year and has seen results. The main goal is to increase minority and female participation in the sport. African-American Bill Lester made his Sprint Cup debut in 2006 and is now racing in the Rolex Grand Am Series. A fellow African-American, Bubba Wallace has been moving on up in the sport. Wallace has starts in the Nationwide Series and three wins in the Camping World Truck Series, as recently as July 23rd in the Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway.
One of the more notable names in the program is Kyle Larson. While most know Larson from his dirt track days, Larson comes from Japanese-American heritage. Larson has become a household name and is currently leading the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Points Standings. Larson spoke to the Indian Leader and said, “It is neat to reach a diverse audience. It means a lot to me to see people watch the sport, that may not otherwise.”
In 2012, Cuban-American Aric Almirola earned a ride with Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola was given the task of bringing the famed 43 (which Petty won seven titles and 200 races) back to victory circle. In 2014, 30 years to the day to Petty’s last win in the 43 car, Almirola fulfilled that goal and won the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. By doing so, Almirola became the first Cuban to win a NASCAR sanctioned event and also earned a berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Native Americans have had a presence in the sport. Matt Kobyluck, a member of the Mohegan Tribe, won the 2008 NASCAR K&N East Series title. Also in 2004, Cory Witherll became the first and only full-blooded American to race in a professional stock-car event. Witherell (Navajo) raced in the ARCA Racing Series, a NASCAR partnered series.
Women’s presence has gained huge momentum. Danica Patrick made the move full-time to NASCAR in 2012. Patrick set the record for the best finish for a female in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event and the Daytona 500. Patrick recorded an 8th place finish at Daytona in 2013 and a 6th place finish at Atlanta in August of 2014. In NASCAR’s three top series, there are four active female drivers, including Patrick.
The program has been a success and continues to grow. NASCAR’s mission to end the stereotype is a trendsetter for other sports to do the same.
(Note: Tyler Jones is a student at Haskell Indian Nations University and a member of the student Indian Leader newspaper staff. He is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and is currently majoring in TV production at Haskell, where he hopes to eventually get his graduate degree in Broadcast Journalism. Tyler was invited to participate this past weekend at the Kansas 400 Sprint Cup race in Kansas City to gain experience in covering NASCAR events.)
