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NASCAR and Rev Racing Announce Drivers Participating in the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 6, 2022) – NASCAR announced today that Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider and the Official Auto Parts Retailer of NASCAR, will serve as the primary sponsor of the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine. 

The entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (NAAPWS) and Advance My Track Challenge, Advance has dedicated its resources to developing NASCAR at the grassroots level. As partner of the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine, the retailer continues to expand its presence in the sport.

“This program has been advancing careers for many years, with so many talented drivers getting the opportunity to showcase their abilities,” said Jason McDonell, Advance’s executive vice president of merchandising, marketing and e-commerce. “Increasing diverse representation within the motorsports community is paramount, and our Advance team is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with NASCAR to create a pipeline for tomorrow’s racing stars.”

“We’re excited to welcome Advance Auto Parts as our combine partner,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s vice president of diversity & inclusion. “Their commitment to our industry diversity & inclusion efforts, and specifically their commitment to advancing the next generation of NASCAR drivers will aid us in identifying, attracting and developing young, diverse talent.”

NASCAR and Rev Racing also announced the names of 13 drivers who will be participating in the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine.

These drivers from around the world went through a rigorous selection process and will be evaluated by judges from across the NASCAR industry. Each participant will be assessed in different areas from physical fitness and on-track performance to media and marketing skills.   

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program was created in 2004 to develop and train ethnically diverse and female drivers both on and off the track. NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suárez and Kyle Larson are alumni of the program, which is operated by Rev Racing in Concord, N.C.

“We are thrilled that we are in a position to return to an in-person evaluation for this year’s Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine,” Rev Racing CEO Max Seigel said. “We are energized by the high-level of participating athletes and look forward to building the best driver class for 2023. As an organization, we have never been more positioned for success and future growth.”

Following the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 combines due to the impact of COVID-19, this year’s candidates were evaluated based on applications, references, historical success and previous on-track performance by a panel comprised of NASCAR executives and professionals. To apply, interested drivers submitted a racing resume and video highlights to NASCAR and Rev Racing.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development Program was created in 2004 to develop and train ethnically diverse and female drivers both on and off the track. Cup drivers Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suarez and Kyle Larson came through the program.

The 2022 combine features the following drivers: 

• Justin Campbell  17  Griffin, Georgia
• Quinn Davis  13  Sparta, Tennessee 
• Eloy Sebastián 17  Mexico City, Mexico 
• López Falcón  17  Mexico City, Mexico 
• Katie Hettinger 15 Dryden, MI 
• Caleb Johnson 15 Denver, CO 
• Nathan Lyons 13 Concord, NC 
• Andrés Pérez de Lara 17 Mexico City, Mexico 
• Jaiden Reyna 16 Cornelius, NC 
• Jordon Riddick 17 Sellersburg, IN 
• Paige Rogers 19 New Haven, IN  
• Lavar Scott  19 Carney’s Point, NJ 
• Regina Sirvent 19 Mexico City, Mexico 
• Lucas Vera 15 Charlotte, NC 

Riddick rallying from the rear without a bad break

Looking ahead at 35 other Super Late Models, most of whom with long lists of

victories, on the grid for a marquee event such as the All American 400 ... that's a daunting task

for anyone, let alone a 17-year-old driver who had never previously competed in this event.

Having that situation in only your second race back from a major injury is probably even more of a pressure-cooker, but Jordon Riddick handled it at just the right temperature. Riddick had competed at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on four previous occasions, including this May's Super Late Model race sanctioned by the ARCA/ CRA Super Series and Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco. On Mother's Day weekend he recorded a respectable 11th-place finish.

Then he matched that result two days before Halloween, in what's easily the longest race he

has ever entered. He was lapped just before the one-third mark of the 300-lap head-liner, then

received a lucky-dog pass under the caution that waved moments later. Then came a few more

close calls, but he completed every circuit around the .596-mile oval.

"Basically you've gotta run every restart like it's qualifying, especially those last couple of laps

where you want to get as many positions as you can," he said. "Once a driver missed a shift and it stacked up the whole outside, and I locked it down enough to where I spun on my own.

Somehow I missed every car that was blocking the front straight-away. A lot of 'em had damage, but we drove away with nothing ... super-lucky there.

"Most of those guys who show up here either work on that car all year or they're on like a big

NASCAR team. I knew we were kinda outgunned. I kinda ran my race. We didn't have the

short-run speed, but after 10-15 laps of green, I could drive back through the field and actually

pass some cars. Our goal was to stay on the lead lap and not crash out; most of them either

crashed out or had mechanical problems."

This was Riddick's first Super race since that May appearance; there was a trip to Winchester

400 weekend in mid-October, but there he ran with the JEGS CRA All-Stars Tour and dropped

out of that crate-engine field with 21 laps left. That wasn't discouraging for Riddick and veteran

crew chief Brent Downey, who works a regular job with PWR Advanced Cooling Technology.

His RTR Motorsports team had bigger plans for the summer, including some Super races at

places such as Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Before one race in June, he broke his leg

in an accident while trying to get the crate car loaded in the team hauler.

Barring more misfortune on or off the track, Riddick has more plans for 2023. The new STARS

National Series has attracted his interest, but the high school senior has an egg in another

basket. He was invited to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity combine in November, and he's

hopeful to land one of the rides with Rev Racing in either Late Model Stock Cars or the ARCA

Menards Series East.

Meet Jordon Riddick Whether he was racing four-wheelers on a makeshift track in the family’s backyard or imploring his parents to visit go-kart tracks while on summer vacations, it was apparent that young Jordon Riddick had a passion for racing. 16 year old Jordon hails from New Albany, Indiana, started go-kart racing competitively in 2017. His love for racing led him to the Legend Car and Ford Crown Vic divisions in 2019. 

 Jordon quickly made his way up the racing ranks. After racking up the wins competing with the CRA Junior Late Model Series, he made his Pro Late Model Debut December 2020 right here in Bakersfield with the Spears Srl Southwest Tour at Kern County Raceway Park. 

Since then, he has captured numerous wins and we are honored to say that we are Team Jordan Riddick. You can see him in action April 2nd at the 7th Annual Winter Showdown! 

We will have numerous opportunities for you to meet this amazing young man next week before the race. Watch this spot for more about Jordon as well as when and where to meet him!