Amidst Success for Rajah Caruth and Daniel Suarez, Drive for Diversity Graduate Kyle Larson Reasserts the Programs Importance

With the increasing popularity of motorsports, there is an increasing number of young and talented drivers aiming for the top categories in the sport. But at the end of the day, they are still faced with the biggest challenge of them all; making it to the very top in a world dominated by legacies, sponsors, and marketing. While some can make it past these obstacles without much difficulty, NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program was introduced to help those talents who couldn’t. Fast-forward to 2024, the campaign has only recently reached its 20th anniversary, and what better way to celebrate than having four of its past graduates, including Kyle Larson, win at the biggest stages in American motorsport?

Kyle Larson joins Drive for Diversity graduates with his Vegas win to celebrate their 20th Anniversary in style

At the very start of the 2024 season, Nick Sanchez kicked off an action-packed season opening stage for the Drive for Diversity graduates by winning the Truck Series race and was quickly followed by fellow D4D graduate Daniel Suarez’s record-breaking win over Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch by 0.007 seconds. But perhaps the biggest moment came for Rajah Caruth, who etched his name into the history books as the third African-American to win a race in NASCAR’s top categories.

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Soon enough, Kyle Larson also joined his fellow graduates in making the 20th Anniversary a memorable one for D4D by winning the Pennzoil 400. Reflecting on the significance of his connection to the program and the recent success, Larson shared, “I think it is really important and that’s really cool with Suarez winning last week, was super proud and happy for Rajah on Friday night…..and then you know, myself, winning and sitting here today, it is pretty cool for sure.”

For Kyle Larson, the Drive for Diversity program has done wonders ever since his introduction to the program in 2012. Back then, Larson was primarily into dirt racing and the program helped the future HMS star realize the magnitude of motorsports and what he wanted to pursue. In a way, it has also shaped Larson into the multi-dimensional driver he is today.

“The D4D program was good for my career. Kind of gave me my introduction into stock car racing and gained a lot of experience, not only on the racetrack but off of it, as well, with everything they offer there at Rev Racing when I was there.” While Larson felt the setup at the program must’ve surely changed and modernised since his days, the program had “produced some great drivers, and it’s cool to see.”

Summing up the accolades brought in by the Drive for Diversity drivers this year with only three races done, Larson felt the future was bright for graduates hoping to repeat their success. He concluded by sharing, “Hopefully, we can add some more D4D guys onto the new championship list down the road.”

Speaking of Larson’s wishes to see new drivers come up from the D4D program, let’s explore Rev Racing’s latest recruit and how a certain NASCAR star from the program has inspired him to achieve similar glory.

How the Drive for Diversity campaign is slowly shaping NASCAR’s future with the inclusion of young prodigy

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As the Drive for Diversity program enters its third decade of existence, the goal is clearer than ever for Mark Green, head of the driver development program at Rev Racing. Through their success with Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez, Rajah Caruth, Bubba Wallace, and several other graduates, the D4D program is now aiming at even younger talent to foster them right from the very foundation.

“We give kids that would never get that chance to have a chance, whether it be through racing families, getting them into it, or just being able financially to do it,” Green shared with MSN. And taking a look at one of their rising star, it’s safe to say the D4D program is on the right trajectory.

LaQuan McCoy Jr, a 12-year-old rising Bandolero prodigy is quickly following in the footsteps of his idol, Bubba Wallace, as he makes his way to the 2024 class of the D4D program. “It feels like a dream that I’m (surrounded) by all these cars,” McCoy Jr. was quoted by MSN. “I never thought I’d be around stuff like this, so it’s just really cool to get this opportunity.”

Speaking of his idol, Bubba Wallace, McCoy Jr had nothing but praise for NASCAR’s greatest ambassadors for diversity. “I look up to him, I root for him because he kind of came up the same path as me.” As for McCoy Jr himself, Green shared how McCoy Jr’s future could be as bright as Wallace’s. He concluded, “He’s a really good kid. I love him. He’s got a good future. He’s shown some really good potential, so we’re looking for good things from him.”

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With the Driver for Diversity campaign producing some of the top talents in the Cup Series today, do you think we will soon see an increasing number of drivers come up through Rev Racing’s program?