Following its most successful season to date, NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program has announced the names of its 2013 class. Last season, D4D – NASCAR’s driver development program for minority and female drivers – and Rev Racing earned its first NASCAR championship, with Kyle Larson winning the 2012 K&N Pro Series East title; Larson also won the Rookie of the Year Award in the series.
Returning drivers to the D4D program include Bryan Oritz, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and Ryan Gifford, of Winchester, Tennessee, both of whom will continue to race in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East; this is Ortiz’s third season and Gifford’s fourth season with D4D. Also returning is Mackena Bell, of Carson City, Nevada, who will move up to the K&N Pro Series East after driving for Rev Racing’s Late Model program in 2012; this is Bell’s fourth season with the program.
New to the group will be Daniel Suarez, of Monterrey, Mexico, who finished third in NASCAR’s Toyota Mexico Series in 2012; he will also be competing in the K&N Pro Series East. Rounding out the group are Annabeth Barnes from Hiddenite, North Carolina, Jack Madrid from San Clemente, California and Devon Amos from Rio Rancho, New Mexico; Barnes and Madrid will compete in Late Models for Rev Racing, while Amos will compete in the INEX Legends Series.
"In 2012, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative has strengthened its position as a leading driver development platform in our sport with outstanding finishes from many drivers, especially Kyle’s championship, which was a first for the program," said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. "Clearly, the NASCAR D4D initiative and Rev Racing have raised the bar in preparing young drivers for success in our sport."
Quotes in this piece provided by NASCAR Media.
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