Drive For Diversity Combine: Day Two

D4D Combine participant Dylan Smith

Vermonter Dylan Smith pulled off the track following his practice laps at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., Wednesday morning and keyed the radio: “Hey guys, I just want to say ‘thank you’ for this opportunity.”

It’s a sentiment that was shared by the 17 candidates that took part in the on-track portion of the 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine put on by Rev Racing.

After the combine kicked off with fitness evaluations and iRacing simulations Tuesday, the drivers got to show what they could do Wednesday in three identically prepared Late Models on the .4-mile NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track.

For some, like Annabeth Barnes, from Hiddenite, N.C., it was redemption.

“This is a really great experience for all of us here,” said Barnes. “Everybody is really, really talented, so it’s great to be put in this group of drivers. We’re all given this great opportunity to show what we have that you wouldn’t get anywhere else.

“I came here last year – my first time here – and I was disappointed in myself. Coming to a different track that you’ve never raced before is hard. I traveled around a lot racing this year, trying to get prepared for this. So coming in, I was a lot more confident and I was a lot more prepared.”

The day was divided into a morning and afternoon session, with each of the drivers getting an opportunity to make 10-lap runs.

Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing operates the NASCAR Drive For Diversity program, which is the industry's leading developmental program for multicultural and women drivers and pit crew members. Rev Racing fields cars in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

The 2013 Rev Racing team will be selected from among last year’s Rev Racing drivers and participants in this week’s Combine, which includes drivers from 12 United States, Canada and Mexico, with a variety of racing experience from Sprint Cars to Late Models.

 “I love this place,” said Smith. “This is a great opportunity. You get to hang around people that can relate to you, and know some of the struggles and some of the things you’ve gone through. That’s really cool.”

The Combine will conclude Wednesday with additional on-track testing sessions.