NASCAR and Rev Racing on Thursday announced the contestants who will take part in the 13th Drive For Diversity Combine.
The national tryout event will take place on Oct. 10-12 at New Smyrna Speedway near Daytona Beach, Florida.
This year’s field of 17 contestants will include 13 females and several multicultural drivers from across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Drivers will be competing for spots with Rev Racing teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for one full season. Those selected will be assigned teams and provided with equipment, mentoring and competition experience.
“This year’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine will feature some incredible talent and we’re excited to watch these young drivers compete,” Dawn Harris, NASCAR director, multicultural development, said in a media release. “NASCAR’s first-class development program has produced the likes of Kyle Larson, Daniel Suárez and Darrell Wallace Jr., so it will be fun to see who rises to the top at New Smyrna.”
Combine officials are also looking forward to the annual event.
“This is an unbelievable opportunity for these up-and-coming drivers; something I am very proud to be a part of for the sixth consecutive year,” Rev Racing director of competition Jefferson Hodges said. “To see past Drive for Diversity participants compete across all three NASCAR national series speaks volumes for the solid foundation Rev Racing provides these drivers in their budding careers.”
In addition to the newcomers that will make up much of the 2017 D4D class are several members from the 2016 class that will be eligible to return for next season, as well.
Those include Macy Causey, who at 14 years old was the youngest combine participant in NASCAR Drive for Diversity history in 2015.
Also participating are Hailie Deegan, daughter of Brian Deegan, the most decorated athlete in freestyle motocross history, and Hope Hornish, the niece of 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner and current NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Sam Hornish Jr.
Others include current NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers: Jairo Avila, Enrique Baca, Collin Cabre, Madeline Crane, Ruben Garcia Jr, and Ali Kern.
Combine participants will be evaluated on driving skills, a physical fitness assessment and receive additional training at nearby Bethune-Cookman University.
Fans can follow the Combine live on Twitter at @NASCARDiversity and @RevRacing.
Below are the invitees to the 2016 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine:
First | Last | Age | City | State/Country |
Ali | Kern* | 23 | Fremont | Ohio |
Amber | Balcaen | 24 | Winnipeg | Canada |
Ariel | Biggs | 22 | Castaic | California |
Armani | Williams | 16 | Grosse Point | Michigan |
Chase | Cabre | 19 | Tampa | Florida |
Collin | Cabre* | 23 | Tampa | Florida |
Enrique | Baca* | 25 | Monterrey | Mexico |
Hailie | Deegan | 15 | Temecula | California |
Hannah | Newhouse | 19 | Twin Falls | Idaho |
Hope | Hornish | 19 | Defiance | Ohio |
Jairo | Avila* | 21 | Alhambra | California |
Jay | Beasley | 24 | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Kayli | Barker | 19 | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Luis | Rodriguez | 22 | Miami | Florida |
Macy | Causey | 15 | Yorktown | Virginia |
Madeline | Crane* | 18 | Meansville | Georgia |
McKenna | Haase | 19 | Carlisle | Iowa |
Nicole | Behar | 18 | Otis Orchards | Washington |
Reegan | May | 22 | De Pere | Wisconsin |
Ruben | Garcia Jr.17 | 20 | Mexico City | Mexico |
Santiago | Tovar | 23 | Mexico City | Mexico |
Taylor | Jorgensen | 20 | Stockbridge | Georgia |
Walter | Thomas III | 18 | Indianapolis | Indiana |
* Current NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers eligible for 2017 program; will attend but not compete in combine