Eight drivers have been named to this year’s class for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity development program, NASCAR and Rev Racing announced Wednesday.
Two members of the class will enter ARCA competition in 2021. Nick Sanchez will run full-time in the ARCA Menards Series national tour, and noted iRacing driver Rajah Caruth will run in the ARCA Menards Series East while continuing to race in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
Candidates for this year’s class were evaluated based on applications, references, historical success, and previous on-track performance by a panel comprised of NASCAR industry members.
The D4D program normally selects drivers following a two-day combine with on-track assessments. However, the 2020 combine was cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Created in 2004, the D4D driver development program has produced current Cup drivers Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suarez and Kyle Larson.
Here’s a look at the full eight-driver class of 2021:
- Nick Sanchez – ARCA Menards Series: The 19-year-old driver from Miami, Fla. had a fourth-place finish during his ARCA Menards debut in 2020. He finished third in the 2020 ARCA Menards Series East point standings with two top-fives and three top-10s.
- Rajah Caruth – ARCA Menards Series East and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: The 18-year-old driver returns to Rev Racing and will compete in the ARCA Menards Series East. The Washington D.C. native won once at Greenville Pickens Speedway in a Late Model stock car in 2020. Caruth also finished sixth in points at the Charlotte Summer Shootout racing in the Semi-Pro Division.
- Isabella Robusto – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: The Fort Mill, S.C. native, 16, returns to Rev Racing after finishing third at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2020. She also won the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Young Racer Award for the second time.
- Lavar Scott – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: Scott secured two podium finishes at the 1/5 Mile Trophy Dash at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a Legend car and won back-to-back races in a 600 Micro Sprint. The 17-year-old from Carney’s Pointe, N.J., also won the World Series Dirt Nationals.
- Regina Sirvent – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: The State of Mexico, Mexico native competed in the FB y BOHN Mikel’s Truck Mexico Series, winning twice. The 17-year-old driver had a third-place finish at the Charlotte Summer Shootout with three top fives and five top 10s.
- Justin Campbell – U.S. Legend Car: The 15-year-old from Griffin, Ga., earned a top-10 finish in the standings at the 2020 Thursday Thunder Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 2018, he competed in a Bandolero with two top-10 finishes and a win.
- Andres Perez de Lara – U.S. Legend Car: The Mexico City, Mexico native competed in Formula 4 and won four races. The 15-year-old driver also competed in the FB y BOHN Mikel’s Truck México Series and had one win. Perez De Lara was 2020’s youngest winner in Latin American Formula 4.
- Jaiden Reyna – U.S. Legend Car: Reyna earned two first place finishes at Lincoln Speedway in the Young Lion Division. The 14-year-old from Cornelius, N.C., also had ten firsts, one second and one third place finish at the 2020 Charlotte Summer Shootout in the Young Lion Division.