DIVERSITY
Hamilton helped change the goals to targeting prospects as young as 12 and established a coordinated developmental system.
Drivers are tutored by older members or other mentors, receive marketing training and there is an emphasis on physical fitness.
“We can control the full process and develop the drivers, help them grow within the system from beginning up to when they’re ready to race at the ARCA level,” Hamilton said. “They can then showcase their talents and use that to get themselves beyond the touring level and up through the ranks of Truck, Xfinity and Cup.”
The challenges of securing a major ride — support resources, critical sponsorship money and connections — are difficult for any young driver but seem greater for minorities. Aside from pushing for more diversity inside the race car, D4D is also looking at ways to increase diversity among sponsorship, ownership and support roles.
“It’s an uphill battle and that’s one of the biggest things the program sets out to offset at the youth level,” Hamilton said. “The program is now set up to be able to give them a better opportunity to make those connections and to understand those resources to get to the next level.”
NASCAR hasn’t had a Black driver win a Cup race since Wendell Scott in 1963. Caruth knows all about that and could teach a history lesson, if needed. He considers himself a student of stock car racing.
“I was a pretty decent history buff on NASCAR,” Caruth said. “I did tons of school projects on it. My senior project this year, I did it on NASCAR right now. I spoke to a lot of other drivers and I feel like I know a lot more about the sport.”