Nascar Reaching out to Minority Youth

WINSTON-SALEM -- Five hundred kids are learning about the fastest growing sport in the world at the Diversity in Motion camp this week.

“Right now there's 25,000 jobs in motorsports in north carolina, and very few minorities are filling those positions,” said Dr. Jim Hand, a WSSU motorsports management professor. “So what NASCAR is doing and what the government and the state wants to do, is they want to introduce minorities to motorsports so they know that's a viable option to get into as an occupation.”

Winston-Salem state's motorsports management program, the only four-year program and historically black university in the nation to offer the program, teamed up with NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program at the Salvation Army to show kids first hand what a career in NASCAR is all about.

“I'm living proof that it's not going to be a hard thing to do and that people accept that,” said Jeff Oleen, a student at WSSU. “It's something that these kids should be aware of and know that it's not a scary thing. It's something they should embrace and pursue. “

The kids learn about motorsports occupations like marketing and public relations directors, team doctors and engineers. They also get a close-up look at actual stock cars, test their reaction time with a drag racing staging light and virtually drive a race car.

Whelen All American Series champion Jason Romero is an example of minority drivers succeeding in NASCAR. He wants these kids to know they can, too.

“Just this driver for diversity program shows the kids out there that are minorities and females that there is a chance for us in motorsports,” he said. “There is a future, as long as you just fight and stride for it. You can get there. You can live your dream."

Romero is one of 30 drivers that will be featured on the show Changing Lanes debuting Sept. 1 on BET. Up-and-coming minority and female drivers will compete in time trials and marketing challenges to make it on the show.