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From Orlando Sentinel

NASCAR The Beat

Minorities still waiting for NASCAR break

Steven Cole Smith | Sentinel Staff Writer
January 22, 2008

This is the fifth year for NASCAR's "Drive for Diversity" in which the sanctioning body and affiliated race team owners select young minority and female drivers to move from local tracks into what amounts to the minor leagues of pro racing, in series such as the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

While none of the "diversity" drivers has yet made it to the top levels, NASCAR CEO Brian France says someone will "break through" soon.

With that, the 2008 Driver for Diversity class was announced and includes 18-year-old Michael Cherry of Tampa, who raced in the sportsman class at Hendry County Speedway last season and won 17 of 19 races in a car owned by his father.

Cherry has also run at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, but since he'll be racing on a paved oval in the All-American Series, he knows he has a learning curve.

His only pavement experience was a truck race at Auburndale Speedway.

Cherry may try to run a dirt super late model at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville during Speedweeks next month.

"I'd like to see if we can hang with the big boys there," he said.


Pruett pumped for the 24

Scott Pruett, lead driver for the Chip Ganassi Racing Grand-Am Series Lexus-Riley, hopes to defend his 2007 win in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona this weekend, and he has the team to do it: Co-drivers are fellow Ganassi racers Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti and Pruett's regular teammate, Memo Rojas. Pruett was present at a Ganassi Racing luncheon featuring all of Ganassi's drivers, including Indy Car racer Scott Dixon and NASCAR driver Reed Sorensen.

"I think we have an excellent chance. The test at Daytona went great," said Pruett, who was the fastest driver in the 60-car field. "The car is very durable, the engine has been improved from last year, and all those things together give me confidence."

While some teams will be sporting new bodywork, Pruett prefers to stick with everything they had from last year, except for one thing: Mandated Pirelli tires replace Hoosiers this year, and this will be the first race for them.

That makes Pruett a little uncomfortable. "The biggest question mark for me is the tires," he said. "A lot of teams had issues with the tires during testing. Hopefully that's all behind us, but from my point of view, that's my biggest concern."

Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel

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