TheNASCAR Driver Development Program (formerly known asDrive for Diversity /D4D) program is a development system instituted by theAmericanauto racing leagueNASCAR. The program's purpose is to attractminority andfemale individuals to the sport, primarily as drivers, but also including ownership, sponsorship, and crew member roles, and to attract a more diverse audience to the sport. Before an applicant is accepted into the program, their resumes are checked by NASCAR officials. The system is similar to adriver development program where applicants progress through minor-league and regional racing levels to prepare them for a possible shot at one of NASCAR's three national series. The program was started during the2004 season by NASCAR marketing executives in order to attract female and minority fans and drivers to the historicallywhite and male-dominated sport. The year before,Joe Gibbs Racing, along with former athletesReggie White andMagic Johnson, had started a similar program.[1]
NASCAR changed the name of the program to the "Driver Development Program" in 2025.[2]
Several factors have been attributed to the absence of minorities in stock car racing. One is the costs of auto racing and dependency on sponsorship dollars, with many minority individuals and families lacking the capital to enter the inherently expensive racing world. Others believe that minority youths are more drawn to conventional "stick-and-ball" sports such asbasketball. A key factor is the overtracism in the country that had plagued other sports as well, but was particularly strong in Americanstock car racing due to its roots in theSouth. This included the presence ofConfederate flags in the infields of many tracks at both the regional and national levels. For these reasons, NASCAR has been slower to racially integrate than other major sports in the country.[5][6][7][8][9] In spite of the lack of minorities and women in the sport, some claim that on paper NASCAR provides a more-balanced playing field than other sports.[10]
The first and most notableAfrican American driver in the sport isWendell Scott, a formerbootlegger who broke the color barrier in the 1950s and raced competitively in inferior equipment and with sub-par support, while contending with discrimination and threats from fans and other drivers.[6] Scott's only win at the Cup Series level came atJacksonville Speedway Park in 1963. The win and the trophy was initially given toBuck Baker, and Scott did not receive official recognition until a month later, when he was given a small wooden trophy with no nameplate.[6][7][11][9] Only seven black drivers have ever competed at NASCAR's top level, most notably Scott,Bubba Wallace, andWilly T. Ribbs.[7][11]
In 2019, Driver Lacy Kuehl, age 12, was the youngest ever signed youth development driver. NASCAR gave Kuehl the Young racer award at NASCAR's Hall of Fame in Charlotte. Kuehl raced in the 2019 Summer Bojangels Shootout and 5 other races, including Atlanta Speedway. Female drivers have been equally scarce within auto racing.[12] Although there was a time when women were banned from entering the pit area during races,[13] there has been no official legislation preventing women from participating during most ofNASCAR's history.Sara Christian drove in the inaugural Cup Series (then Strictly Stock) race atCharlotte Speedway in 1949, and is the only woman in Cup Series history to score a top five finish.[13][14] The most notable woman in the sport wasJanet Guthrie, the first woman to compete in both theDaytona 500 andIndianapolis 500. Guthrie scored five top tens over 33 career starts in NASCAR's top three series.[13][14] Another notable driver wasLouise Smith, known as "the first lady of racing". Smith made 11 starts in what is now the Cup Series, and was used to promote the sport in the 1940s by NASCAR founderBill France, Sr.[13][14] A total of 15 women have made starts in the Cup Series.
In 1999, manufacturerDodge began a diversity program, selecting Mexican driverCarlos Contreras to drive aDodge Ram forPetty Enterprises in theCraftsman Truck Series.[9] In December 2000, Dodge announced that veteranAfrican American driverWilly T. Ribbs would drive in the Truck Series for the full 2001 season in a factory-backed effort forBobby Hamilton Racing. Ribbs, who had made starts in theCup Series,Indy Car andChamp Car, was part of the continued diversity effort by Dodge (reentering Cup competition for 2001), selected from a test program that includedBill Lester and Tim Woods.[9][15] Ribbs ran 23 out of 24 races in the 8 Dodge Motorsports Ram truck (DNQing atMartinsville), finishing 16th in points but with no top 10 finishes. Lester ran 5 races in BHR's 4 truck with a best finish of 18th,[9] then replaced Ribbs in the 8 truck for the 2002 and 2003 seasons,[9][16] scoring a pole atCharlotte in 2003 and finishing 17th and 14th in points in the two seasons respectively. He would leave BHR after 2003 due to lack of sponsorship.[5][8][17] Female driverDeborah Renshaw moved into BHR's 8 truck in 2005, finishing 24th in points.[18]Erin Crocker also ran two races for BHR in 2005, before moving on toEvernham Motorsports in 2006 and 2007.[19][20]
In 2003,Joe Gibbs Racing partnered with formerNFL playerReggie White to start a team that would assist minority drivers in rising up the ranks of the Motorsports world. In 2004, the team came into form with assistance of Gibbs' Cup andBusch Series sponsorsHome Depot,MBNA, andRockwell Automation. The original two drivers wereAric Almirola (a future winner at the Cup level) and Chris Bristol (who would join NASCAR's D4D program in 2006), who drove cars numbered 20 and 18 respectively at two different short tracks in theNASCAR Weekly Racing Series.[6][21] Almirola and Bristol returned in 2005, with both drivers running number 92 to honor the late Reggie White.[22][23]
The NASCAR-based program was conceived in the 1990s, officially implemented in 2004 byNASCAR chairmanBrian France, and based largely off input from White andNBA starBrad Daugherty.[6] D4D was one of several programs instigated to increase viewership and audience diversity as well as provide income for the sport, along with theChase for the NEXTEL Cup and series inCanada andMexico.[24][25] NASCAR hired Access Marketing & Communications, a company started with money from NASCAR given to theRainbow/PUSH initiative of Rev.Jesse Jackson, to find drivers, conduct a testing combine, and set the drivers up with owners who would receive stipends to fund competitive rides at short tracks in theDodge Weekly Racing Series. The first Drive for Diversity combine, featuring 12 drivers and 28 pit crew members, was held in January 2004 atHickory Motor Speedway inNorth Carolina, with five drivers and six crew members selected. After two seasons, several reports surfaced of teams not receiving adequate funds, while other teams owners did not supplement the NASCAR investment with additional funds, leading to limited results on the track. Another shortcoming of the early D4D classes was the age of the participants, as many of the drivers (such asMorty Buckles and Reggie Primus) were over the age of 30 and past their prime. Due to the lackluster performance, NASCAR cut ties with Access Marketing after 2008 and proceeded to hireMax Siegel (music executive and former president ofDale Earnhardt, Inc.) to revamp the program.[5][6][7][8][24][26][27][28]
In its current state, the program accepts around 6–10 drivers. 20 or so prospective drivers between the ages of 14 and 26 are invited to a testing combine, in whichNASCAR evaluates each driver's résumé, on-track lap-times, driving knowledge, physical fitness, communications skills, and media aptitude. Siegel meanwhile started theRev Racing team in 2009 to train the selected drivers in an academy-like setting, with drivers being fielded in the Weekly Series (now theWhelen All-American Series) or the touringK&N Pro Series East andWest. In addition to investing $3 million in the program, Siegel himself is also responsible for finding sponsorship for the drivers.[6][7][26][29][30] Since the inception of the current program, Rev Racing has been fielding competitive rides with funding from companies such asToyota,Nike, Inc., andSunoco[31] and have had several drivers move on to the national series.[7]
The Drive for Diversity also includes a pit crew development program to identify and develop minority and female pit crew members. Like Cup Series teams, the program seeks out former competitive athletes (high school and college), then puts them through a combine which includes conventional drills and racing-specific drills. According to Siegel, the pit crew program has a 100 percent placement rate throughout NASCAR.[7][32]
In November 2023,America First Legal, an organization founded and led byStephen Miller, a former Senior Advisor to PresidentDonald Trump (and futureHomeland Security Advisor andWhite House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy inTrump's second term), filed a petition to theUnited States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate NASCAR and Rev Racing for the program leading to "illegal discrimination against white, male Americans." in violation of the Title VII of theCivil Rights Act of 1964.[33]
The overall impact of the D4D program and NASCAR's diversification efforts have been minimal, as the drivers from the program (in spite of their success at the regional level) are often starved of opportunities and sponsorship dollars once they graduate from the program.[27]ESPN analyst, team owner, and formerNBA all-starBrad Daugherty acknowledges some progress, claiming the sport is "more inviting than it was [in the past]." But he also believes "owners are a little scared...Corporate America just isn't ready to take a lot of chances with their dollars on a non-known entity." Several drivers had left the program early in its history, citing issues with the equipment and resources provided to them.[34] Some state that the absence of funding is systematic across the sport, with many young drivers' careers being stalled out before they make it to a higher level or a more competitive ride.[26][35]
Into the 2010s, the diversity program's impact appears to be increasing,[36] with one of the biggest problems being the continued perception ofNASCAR as an all-white and non-inclusive institution. Max Siegel stated that "the biggest barrier in diversifying audience is the perception," with D4D driver Dylan Smith noting that "people associate NASCAR so much with racism." NASCAR spokesperson Marcus Jadotte believes that the NASCAR fan base will broaden as more minorities and women move up through the sport's ranks.[37][12]
Some drivers, such as formerHendrick Motorsports andRusty Wallace Racing development driverChase Austin, have refused to join the D4D due to the possible stigma ofaffirmative action.[27]
Any impact still pales in comparison to other auto racing series, with the mixedLewis Hamilton winning sevenFormula One world championships since 2008,Antron Brown winning the 2012NHRATop Fuel championship, sistersAshley,Courtney andBrittany Force running competitively in the NHRA'sFunny Car andTop Fuel divisions, and several female drivers competing simultaneously atIndyCar's top level.[34][38]
The most successful driver to go through the program is arguablyKyle Larson, a 2012 graduate who is considered one of the most talented young drivers in the sport. Former Cup championDale Jarrett compared Larson's talents to 4-time championJeff Gordon, and Gordon himself has taken interest in the young driver.[39] After signing a development deal withChip Ganassi Racing in 2012, Larson won Rookie of the Year in 2013 in theNationwide Series forTurner Scott Motorsports, and scored his first victory in the series in 2014. He moved up to Ganassi's No. 42Sprint Cup Series car for 2014,[40] winning the Rookie of the Year award,[7] and earning his first win in 2016,[41][42] and soon winning the championship withHendrick Motorsports in 2021.
Darrell Wallace Jr., a biracial driver ofAfrican American heritage, has also found success. Wallace Jr. had three top 10s in four starts forJoe Gibbs Racing in theNationwide Series in 2012,[24] then moved to theCamping World Truck Series forKyle Busch Motorsports in 2013. Wallace won in the Truck Series atMartinsville Speedway in his rookie season (only the second black driver afterWendell Scott to win in one of NASCAR's top three divisions). Wallace picked up four more wins in 2014 including one at the famousEldora Speedway dirt track.[43] Wallace signed to drive in theXfinity Series forRoush Fenway Racing in 2015.[7][44] Wallace signed withMonster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teamRichard Petty Motorsports in 2018.[45] He currently drives for 23XI, co-owned by Michael Jordan, and finished Top 10 in the Cup standings in 2023. Wallace's career had historically been hampered at the national level by a lack of consistent corporate sponsorship,[7][26] but that is currently not the case.
Another JGR driver, Mexican-bornDaniel Suárez, a winner in theK&N Pro Series East andNASCAR Toyota Series, was signed to a full-timeXfinity Series ride for the 2015 season, becoming the first full-time driver of Latino descent to run the full season in the series.[46][47] Suárez won his first Xfinity Series race at Michigan in 2016, becoming the first Mexican-born driver to win in the series.[48] Suárez went on to win the2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, becoming the first foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR national series championship.[49] Suárez moved to theMonster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with JGR in 2017.[50] and moved toStewart–Haas Racing in 2019.[51] He currently drives for Trackhouse.
Other drivers from the program, however, have had their careers stall out after "graduating" from the program. This includesPaulie Harraka, who scored the program's first three wins, andMarc Davis who leftJoe Gibbs Racing after they could not find sponsorship for him in theNationwide Series.[24][26]
Outside of the program, minority and female drivers continue to be scarce on the NASCAR scene.Cuban-American driverAric Almirola, a member ofJoe Gibbs Racing's original diversity program, currently drives full-time inStewart–Haas Racing' 10 car in theMonster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Almirola is considered one of the most successful products of any diversity initiative within the sport, as well as the highest profile Latino driver in NASCAR, with three wins to his name.[34][47] Leaving JGR in mid-2007 with one win in theNationwide Series, Almirola droveGinn Racing's 01 car andEarnhardt Ganassi Racing's 8 car in the Sprint Cup Series[52] until losing his ride due to lack of sponsorship in 2009. After reclaiming his career withBilly Ballew Motorsports in the truck series andJR Motorsports in theNationwide Series, Almirola was signed to drive for RPM in 2012,[53] winning atDaytona International Speedway in July 2014.[54][55]
FormerIndyCar Series racerDanica Patrick drove forStewart–Haas Racing in their No. 10Chevrolet SS, from 2012 - 2017, joined by her longtime partnerGo Daddy. She is the first female Cup driver to be signed to a full season contract. A winner in IRL competition, Patrick also drove forJR Motorsports in theARCA Racing Series andNationwide Series before signing with Stewart-Haas in 2012,[56] and going full-time in the Cup series for 2013.[57] Patrick is the first woman to win the pole for theDaytona 500, and the first rookie to win the pole sinceJimmie Johnson in 2002. Patrick also ran the fastest pole speed for the 500 in 23 years, timing in at 45.817 seconds.[58]
Jennifer Jo Cobb is one of few female drivers other than Patrick to run full-time in the three top touring series in recent memory. Cobb made her debut in theNationwide Series in 2004, and currently drives in theCamping World Truck Series. Cobb is not only a full-time driver, but also the owner of her No. 10 truck forJennifer Jo Cobb Racing, which is a successor toCircle Bar Racing andppc Racing. The team also runs a second No. 0 truck as astart and park entry, though it attempted to run the full race atEldora Speedway in 2013 and 2014 with Jennifer Jo's fatherJoe Cobb. Though the team runs full-time, lack of funding and second-hand equipment (often running oldDodge Rams without factory support) often results in back-of-the-pack finishes for Cobb.[14]
Colombian-bornJuan Pablo Montoya, a winner inCART andFormula 1 and the2000 Indianapolis 500 winner, began running full-time in theSprint Cup Series withChip Ganassi Racing in 2007.[59][60] Juan scored two victories in his career (both coming at road course races), and came close to winning at oval tracks on several occasions. In spite of this, he finished in the top 10 in points only once and departed from full-time NASCAR competition after 2013.[61] Another former open-wheel driver, BrazilianNelson Piquet Jr. scored two victories in the Truck Series and one in a part-time Nationwide season, but struggled in his first full Nationwide season in 2013 and was released fromTurner Scott Motorsports. Piquet Jr. would make his Cup debut in 2014.[62] Other Latino former open-wheel drivers to run inNASCAR includeMichel Jourdain Jr. andAdrián Fernández, who ranBusch Series schedules withppc Racing andHendrick Motorsports respectively.[60]
From 2000 to 2007, African American driverBill Lester was a mainstay in the truck series, driving forBobby Hamilton Racing,Bill Davis Racing, andBilly Ballew Motorsports. Lester was a part ofDodge's and BHR's diversity initiative before signing with Davis on talent alone in 2004, and was notable for his strong qualifying efforts.[5][6] Lester also made two starts for Davis in the Cup Series, the first African American racer in the series sinceWilly T. Ribbs.[34] Mexican-bornCarlos Contreras has also found longevity in the Nationwide and Truck Series,[63] but has only run three full schedules in his career (and none since 2002), with only 5 top 10s to his credit.
While diversity within NASCAR's top ranks may be slow, the sports' international influence has grown in the 21st century. Following successfulNationwide Series races at the road coursesAutódromo Hermanos Rodríguez inMexico City andCircuit Gilles Villeneuve inMontreal, theNASCAR Toyota Series (formerly the Corona Series) andNASCAR Canadian Tire Series were created as regional series similar to theK&N Pro Series East andWest. In 2009, theNASCAR Whelen Euro Series was inaugurated.
NASCAR Mexico has produced several talented drivers who have moved on toNASCAR's top-three touring series. These include 3-time Toyota Series championGermán Quiroga who has driven in theCamping World Truck Series forKyle Busch Motorsports andRed Horse Racing, and D4D driver and 9-time Toyota Series winner andXfinity Series Champion,Daniel Suárez, currently racing in theNASCAR Cup Series withTrackhouse Racing Team. The Canadian Series has producedD. J. Kennington,J. R. Fitzpatrick,Alex Labbé, androad course ringerAndrew Ranger. The Euro Series has producedAlon Day.
The drivers in the 2025 class have not been announced yet.
| Drivers | Series | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Andrés Pérez de Lara | ARCA Menards Series | Rev Racing |
| Lavar Scott | ||
| Nathan Lyons | INEX Legend Cars Series | |
| Cassidy Keitt | ||
| LaQuan McCoy Jr. | ||
| Eloy Sebastián López Falcón | NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series | |
| Lanie Buice | ||
| T. J. DeCaire | ||
| Regina Sirvent |
Source:[64]
| Drivers | Series | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Andrés Pérez de Lara | ARCA Menards Series | Rev Racing |
| Lavar Scott | ARCA Menards Series East | |
| Justin Campbell | NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series | |
| Jaiden Reyna | ||
| Paige Rogers | ||
| Caleb Johnson | INEX Legend Cars Series | |
| Nathan Lyons | ||
| Eloy Sebastián López Falcón |
Source:[65]
| Driver | Series | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Campbell | INEX Legend Cars Series | Rev Racing |
| Quinn Davis | INEX Bandoleros Series | |
| Nathan Lyons | ||
| Andrés Pérez de Lara | NASCAR Mexico Series | |
| Eloy Sebastian López Falcón | ||
| Regina Sirvent | ||
| Katie Hettinger | NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series | |
| Lucas Vera | ||
| Jaiden Reyna | ||
| Caleb Johnson | ENASCAR | |
| Jordon Riddick | ASA STARS National Tour | |
| Paige Rogers |
Source:[66]
Source:[67]
Source:[68]
Source:[69]
Source:[70]
Source:[71]
Among the drivers not selected were2014 NASCAR Mexico Series championAbraham Calderón, and former D4D/Rev Racing driversDylan Smith andNatalie Decker.[30][72]
Among the 14 drivers not selected were2014 NASCAR Mexico Series championAbraham Calderón and former D4D/Rev Racing driverPaige Decker.[36]
Source:[74]
Source:[75]
Source:[76]
Source:[77]
Source:[78]
Source:[81]
Source:[83]
Source:[84]
Source:[85]
| Driver | Series | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Morty Buckles | NASCAR Weekly Racing Series | Belnavis Racing |
| Brianne Cronrath | ||
| Allison Duncan | Bill McAnally Racing /Richard Childress Racing | |
| Sarah Fisher[86] | ||
| Michael Gallegos | ||
| Joe Henderson III[87][88] | MB2 Motorsports | |
| Jesus Hernandez | ||
| Tommy Lane | Evernham Motorsports | |
| Terri Williams |
Source:[89]
| Driver | Series | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Morty Buckles | NASCAR Weekly Racing Series | Belnavis Racing |
| Bruce Driver | SCORE Motorsports | |
| Allison Duncan | BH Motorsports | |
| Joe Henderson III | Bobby Hamilton Racing | |
| Reggie Primus | Innovative Motorsports |
Source:[90]
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "NASCAR Driver Development Program" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(April 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
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