Finding New Racers
One step in diversifying the sport is to help minorities break into the auto racing industry through programs designed to find new talent in minority communities .
Suárez is a graduate of NASCAR ’ s Drive for Diversity , a program that helps minorities and women develop and showcase their talents in an otherwise hard and expensive sport to enter . They race in minor-league and regional races , gaining exposure and opportunities to network and to be recruited by teams to race in NASCAR ’ s three national series .
Other graduates now racing against Suárez in the Monster Energy Series are Japanese-American Kyle Larson , who placed ninth and eighth overall in 2016 and 2017 , and Darrell Wallace Jr ., who may very well become the sport ’ s first African-American star . Wallace , who goes by the nickname Bubba finished second in this year ’ s Daytona 500 , his best showing yet .
The program also seeks to bring minorities to the pit crews , and one of the graduates , Derrel Edwards , helped Austin Dillon win the latest Daytona 500 . Edwards is believed to be the first African-American Daytona 500 winning pit crew member . Last year , Brehanna Daniels became the first African-American female pit crew member in a NASCAR national series race .
Building a Wider Fan Base
The young racers are not just minorities , they are doing what it takes to get fans : excelling on the track .
“ The Hispanic community doesn ’ t just want to follow someone because they happen to be of Mexican descent . They also want to follow someone who is competing for a win ,” Avila said .
Fans watch during the NASCAR XFINITY Series Service King 300 at Auto Club Speedway on March 25 , 2017 in Fontana , California . ( Photo by Sarah Crabill / Getty Images )
Suarez ’ s success has helped attract more Hispanics to Auto Club Speedway , now comprising 20 percent of total spectators , up from 6 percent in 2007 , according to Avila .
The second prong of the diversification strategy has helped this growth : make the race-day experience appealing to a wider audience .
“ We have a little something for everyone ,” Avila said . For example , Bush , an English rock band , recently performed at a race , a draw for the wider public . The Mexican-American Singer Chiquis Rivera also played — and this “ spoke volumes to our Hispanic demographic ,” Avila said .
The diversification also is luring new advertisers to the sport , including King Taco , a Los Angeles-based fast food chain , and O ’ Reilly Auto Parts , based in Springfield , Missouri .
“ You ’ ll have sponsors that come in because they see the attraction of appealing to a broader fan base ,” said Stephanie Harris , senior manager of content communications at NASCAR .
Workforce Diversity
The third piece of the diversification strategy is to make the carracing industry ’ s workforce more inclusive . A diverse workforce brings a broader perspective to developing fresh ideas , like entertainer choices , to reach a new public and improve business performance . “ It is really about having your ear to the ground and making sure you have someone to perform who resonates with the community ,” Avila said .
The 2017 class of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program meets for the first time during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race in Charlotte , N . C . ( Photo Credit : John K Harrelson / NKP )
Like with Driver for Diversity , NASCAR and ISC have been finding minority talent for their corporate ranks through an internship program that ’ s been running for 18 years . The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program is a 10-week , paid summer internship for multicultural undergraduates and graduate college students with high grades . They work on projects throughout the companies and network with industry leaders .
“ The experience is a benefit to them and it helps us identify and hire top talent across the motorsports industry to create a diverse talent work pool ,” Avila said .
More than 350 interns have participated , and about 30 percent have gone on to work in motorsports and 45 percent in the sports industry as a whole , he said .
Jusan Hamilton , for example , graduated from the program to become the first black race director in NASCAR history , overseeing an Xfinity Series race . Other alumni are working for ISC and companies like Rev Racing , Roush Fenway Racing , Toyota and Pocono Raceway .
Avila said there are keys to making diversification work in a company . One is to make it a company-wide goal — to weave it into the mission and values of the firm . If only one business unit is diversifying and not the rest , it won ’ t be successful because minorities won ’ t be able to move around between departments to sharpen their leadership skills , and they won ’ t feel “ part of a cohesive unit ,” he added .
At ISC , “ It is not really about filling a quota , it is more about building a workforce that is as diverse as our fan base is , and using those differences to drive our business ,” Avila said .
The second key is to create an environment of connection so that employees have a chance to sit on committees and attend conferences , helping them to build contacts and participate in talks
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