US AP: NASCAR makes key developments in push for greater diversity

NASCAR makes key developments in push for greater diversity
Associated Press (archive.ph)
By Associated Press Staff
2023-02-18 14:57:33GMT


NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) speaks to reporters ahead of practice sessions before a NASCAR exhibition auto race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

NASCAR says it has made progress on diversity, an effort that started before the industry banned the Confederate flag in 2020 but has only grown since in all aspects from team ownership to grassroots racing efforts. Minorities may not necessarily become the dominant demographic for the stock car series, but they can certainly grab a larger share of the marketplace. A few key developments underway for NASCAR as it celebrates its 75th anniversary:

— The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program has grown substantially since 2004. There are more than 100 graduates now working in NASCAR and more than 25 at the top Cup Series level. The program has a 100% placement rate and drives approximately $2 million in salary.

— The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program was launched in 2000 and since then more than 500 college students have participated in the industry’s longest-running diversity initiative.

— Nick Sanchez, who participated in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development Program in 2022 and won the ARCA Menards Series Championship with Rev Racing last year, is advancing to the Truck Series. Sanchez will drive the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet for Rev Racing with its technical alliance partner, Kyle Busch Motorsports. He won the pole for the Truck Series race at Daytona this weekend.

— Rajah Caruth also graduated from the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development Program and will be competing full time in the Truck Series, driving the No. 24 for GMS Racing. Caruth is a prominent iRacer who made his transition to the racetrack in 2019.

— Hailie Deegan and Natalie Decker also participated in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development Program. Both drivers currently compete in national series.

 

[Southern Comfort]

ITT: Dumbass euros who feel the need to give their opinion on something they know nothing about.

Anyway, I stopped watching after they began the hardcore race pandering. They were already on shaky ground with me due to all the rule fuckery in recent years (baseball is in a similar situation). It's a huge shame. Who would have thought this would be prophetic: https://youtu.be/uxi1J2EntVU?t=211

 

[FILTH Tourist]

The only diversity that matters is the diversity of the cars. Stock cars used to have some semblance to the street version they used as a base and added some personality to the race. Now there is zero diversity and all the cars have the same fake look to them.

 

[The Last Stand]

Nascar racing is boring as fuck. I much prefer car racing based on latest technology, just like in the old days like Ferdinand Porsche. Legal racing should be about advancing engineering and physics, not about white trash racing the Cracker Barrell car versus the Costco car. Nobody gives a shit about these dumb fucks doing this week's circle drive. Illegal street racing is a lot more fun because it's dangerous and people modify their cars to be better than others.

Nobody cares. I want to see cars go vroom.

 

[pikachudidnothingwrong]

NASCAR's ratings are in the toilet if you didn't know, and something you probably did know is that this isn't helping them.

It seems like they are hell bent on alienating all their fans in the name of.......
I mean from banning pit girls, to pride crap and then this type of crap. The left and coasts literally hate racing, race culture and fans but NASCAR seems to be another public org that is obsessed with virtue signaling to them.

 

[Secret Asshole]

Does anyone actually care about the drivers? Really?

 

[Diana Moon Glampers]

What we really need is for NASCAR to go all-electric so that the drivers have to take a multi-hour pit stop after every 200 race miles. Is the world ready for such excitement?

 

[White Devil]

Does anyone actually care about the drivers? Really?

Not since Dale Earnhardt went splat, no.

Unless you count Ricky Bobby.

 

[CHARizard]

oh did they finally remove any circular object to prevent niggers thinking they are nooses?
yes that includes the tires

Just wait for the trans drivers to join up.

 

[Green Man]

NASCAR's been on a downhill slope ever since the bitch-ass restrictor plates, local dirt tracks is where it's at. If you attend on the right night you might see a pretty good melee between Bubba and Earl and their respective clans in the pits.

 

[Snekposter]

Your retardation is showing.

NASCAR started out and in its prime, was a rebuke to those car snobs who think you needed to have daddy buy them the top of the line car tech shit to race as seen in Indy racing/Formula 1 crap. It started out with white trash repurposing the cars they used to outrun the cops while bootlegging booze for fuck's sake.

NASCAR went to hell when Dale Ernhardt died and they started dumbing down the cars with safety tech and squashing all individuality from racers and replacing them with gym bunnies in the Jeff Gordon mold, while ignoring the fact that Jeff Gordon was an outlier that respected the old ways whereas his replacements were faceless Glamour Guys who only cared about what Daddy NASCAR and their sponsors wanted them to think about.

The only diversity that matters is the diversity of the cars. Stock cars used to have some semblance to the street version they used as a base and added some personality to the race. Now there is zero diversity and all the cars have the same fake look to them.

I would absolutely love it if NASCAR went back to its roots and teams were required to buy and trick out production cars instead of the current bland shit where it all looks, feels, and drives the same. I want to see Ford, Dodge, and GM fans brawling in the stands after someone's mother and choice of motor vehicle are insulted.

 

[Boss Hawg]

At this rate, Crokinole will be the last White sport.

 

[Ghost Mountain]

Nobody cares. I want to see cars go vroom.

I would much rather watch a street race than nascar tbh

 

[LillWeeb]

NASCAR been on a decline in in the public conciseness since Dale Earnhardt died, and so they made the races a lot safer, but as a result far less exciting. NASCAR is going woke because like other forms of entertainment like video games, NASCAR hates its fans and believes (like the games industry hating gamers) That if they got rid of their redneck fans, that would make regular people care and want to watch for some reason.

​

 

[Gunterator]

Does anyone actually care about the drivers? Really?

Its actually the funny part about nascar is a lot of fans have 1 favorite driver but like 3 drivers they hate. So inevitably there will be fans considered racist for hating drivers even though thats basically part of the culture.

 

[Your Greatest Ally]

NASCAR went to hell when Dale Ernhardt died and they started dumbing down the cars with safety tech and squashing all individuality from racers and replacing them with gym bunnies in the Jeff Gordon mold, while ignoring the fact that Jeff Gordon was an outlier that respected the old ways whereas his replacements were faceless Glamour Guys who only cared about what Daddy NASCAR and their sponsors wanted them to think about.

I'll never shit on them for trying to improve safety, especially after what prompted it. But I will take a massive fucking diarrhea dump on their face for changing the rules and the points system because 'derpderp, gotta change stuff for the sake of changing it.'

That was when it really turned into something unrecognizable, the points system and splitting the races into sections.. The pit/victory lane girls and other retarded changes were a symptom of the same disease.

I'll admit I miss when Stewart and Harvick would fight dudes after every race. That was pretty cash.

Also fuck Kyle Busch forever.

 

[Dumb Bitch Smoothie]

So you're telling me they wanna diversify NASCAR?

 Non-
 Athletic
 Sport
 Centered
 Around
 Rednecks

They're gonna torpedo their target audience and bleed money, but okay.