On Friday, NASCAR and Rev Racing announced the 2023 class for the Drive for Diversity program, which has been giving minorities a chance to climb the ladder of motorsport since 2004.
In all, eight drivers were selected from the Advance Auto Parts Drive For Diversity Combine, which was hosted in Charlotte, North Carolina, and South Boston, Virginia, to represent the D4D program this season.
According to Rev Racing team owner Max Siegel, the crop of drivers at the latest D4D Combine impressed mightily.
“We are extremely energized by the talent we saw this past November at the Combine,” said Siegel. “We look forward to the season ahead and developing this amazing class of incoming drivers. This year’s class represents a talented pipeline of NASCAR’s future stars. Our entire Rev Racing organization is committed to being a championship-contending team and one of the premier development programs in NASCAR.”
The drivers that were selected include Lavar Scott, Andrés Pérez de Lara, Jaiden Reyna, and Justin Campbell — all of which will return to the program and drive for Rev Racing again in 2023.
Additionally, Paige Rogers, Sebastián López Falcón, Caleb Johnson and Nathan Lyons will be debutants in the program with Rev Racing.
Meet the Drivers
- Andrés Pérez de Lara is a 17-year-old standout from Mexico City, Mexico. The young racer, who is set for ARCA Menards Series competition in 2023, scored the 2022 NASCAR México Challenge championship.
- Lavar Scott is a 19-year-old racer from Carney’s Pointe, New Jersey. Scott has shined on the short track circuit as he scored a victory at Hickory Motor Speedway in September 2021. Scott also recorded a win in the NASCAR Truck México Series at Autódromo de Querétaro in Mexico in 2021. The driver is slated for ARCA Menards Series East competition this year.
- Justin Campbell, who is set to compete in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model division in 2023, will return for his third season with Rev Racing. Campbell, who hails from Griffin, Georgia, racked up two top-five finishes in the 2022 Cook Out Summer Shootout in the semi-pro division.
- Jaiden Reyna, a 16-year-old driver, will compete in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model division in 2023. Reyna has started opening eyes within the sport as the Cornelius, North Carolina product scored two wins at Lincoln Speedway in the Young Lions division in 2022.
- Paige Rogers is a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and will also compete in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model division. The 19-year-old racer finished runner-up in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Late Model Sportsman division at Corrigan Oil Speedway in Mason, Michigan.
- Sebastián López Falcón is preparing for a run in the INEX Legend Car Series in 2023. The native of Oaxaca, Mexico scored the 2022 NASCAR Truck México Series championship. At only 17 years old, he’ll make his debut for Rev Racing this season.
- Caleb Johnson is only 14 years old, but the Denver, Colorado native scored a fifth-place finish in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series point standings in 2022. Johnson is also well versed in the world of iRacing.
- Nathan Lyons is the youngest driver in the program in 2023 at 13 years old. Lyons will join Johnson in the INEX Legend Car Series this season. Lyons is a native of Texas, who has moved to Concord, North Carolina to pursue his dream of being a professional race car driver. Lyons scored five top-10 finishes in the 2022 Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Outlaw Series.
The D4D program is bound to have a few stars shine again this season.
“We’re excited to welcome our newest class of drivers and be a part of their growth and development,” said Jordan Leatherman, NASCAR’s Director, Diversity and Inclusion. “We’re proud to see Nick Sanchez and Rajah Caruth graduate from the program and start a new chapter in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Their success reflects their talent and hard work.”
The Future is Bright For Latest Graduates From the Drive For Diversity Program
Rev Racing, which has been the team that has played home to the drivers and crew members within the Drive For Diversity program, will extend its racing footprint into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2023. The team will field the No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado, which will be driven by Nick Sanchez. The organization will have an alliance with Kyle Busch Motorsports, which has transitioned to Chevrolet for the upcoming season.
Joining Sanchez in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season will be his 2022 Rev Racing teammate Rajah Caruth. Caruth will pilot the No. 24 entry for GMS Racing for the entirety of the 2023 schedule.
