The drivers were evaluated and selected after participating in a combine held in Concord, N.C. and Florence, S.C.
The Drive for Diversity program was created in 2004 to develop and train top drivers from diverse backgrounds and experiences, both on and off the track.
Rev Racing, which operates the program, brings together championship caliber executives, competition staff and equipment in a unique academy-style environment. The team is owned by Max and Jennifer Siegel is based in Concord.
Andrés Pérez de Lara, Lavar Scott, Nathan Lyons, Regina Sirvent, and Eloy Sebastián López Falcón will all be returning to the program next year.
Joining the program for their first time are Lanie Buice, TJ DeCaire, Cassidy Keitt, and LaQuan McCoy Jr.
“Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program and we’re celebrating this milestone by welcoming a very talented group of drivers,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s vice president of diversity and inclusion.
“We’re confident that next year’s group of drivers will continue elevating the depth of our talent pool and we’re thrilled to play a role in their development.”
Since the program’s inception, several graduates have moved on to compete at the national series level. Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suárez all currently race in the Cup Series.
Larson is the first graduate of the program to win a Cup championship. Currently, he’s the only Asian-American driver competing regularly in the Series.
Suárez made history in 2022 becoming the first Mexican-born driver to win a race in the Cup Series. He also won the Xfinity Series championship in 2016.
Wallace is the first Black driver to win multiple Cup races. In 2023, he finished his third season with 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and Cup veteran driver Denny Hamlin.
Nick Sanchez, who participated in the diversity program from 2017 through 2022 and won the 2022 ARCA Menards Series championship with Rev Racing, competed in the Truck Series this past season and finished sixth in the standings. Fellow program graduate Rajah Caruth also competed full-time this season in the Truck Series.
The 2024 class features the following drivers:
Andrés Pérez de Lara – The 18-year-old Mexico City native returns to Rev Racing for his third season after earning five top-five finishes in the ARCA Menards Series this past season. He also competes in the NASCAR México Series and was named 2023 Rookie of the Year.
Lavar Scott – The 20-year-old from Carney’s Pointe, N.J., returns to Rev Racing after earning five top-five finishes in the ARCA East Series. He earned his first career win in the Trucks México Series at Autódromo de Querétaro in Mexico in 2021.
Nathan Lyons – INEX Legend Car Series: The 14-year-old originally from Texas, moved to Concord to pursue his dream to race in NASCAR. Lyons most recently finished his first season with Rev Racing competing in Legend Cars. He received the 2023 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards Youth Racer Award and finished third in the 2023 Summer Shootout standings.
Eloy Sebastián López Falcón – The 18-year-old concluded his first season in the program competing in Legend Cars. In the NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series, he earned three wins this past season. He was the 2021 Rookie of the Year in the Trucks México Series and the 2022 Trucks México Series Champion.
Lanie Buice – From 2017 to 2020, Buice had 91 total wins in go karts, including 23 straight wins during her last season. Buice has also raced in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, earning 12 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes in the 2023 late model season.
TJ DeCaire – During the 2023 season, DeCaire earned three wins in Super Late Models, Pro Late Models and Truck Weekly Touring Series. He also placed in the top-five across all three series 17 times throughout the season.
Regina Sirvent – In the NASCAR México Challenge Series, the 20-year-old finished fifth at Tuxtla Gutierrez and Puebla. She received the 2019 Best Driver Award for NASCAR México and was the recipient of the 2021 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards Young Racer. Sirvent was the first female driver to win in the Trucks México Series.
Cassidy Keitt – Keitt earned two top-five and five top-10 finishes in Legend Cars at the Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway. She is the 2022 Young Lions Winter Heat Champion, collecting two wins during the season.
LaQuan McCoy Jr. – McCoy collected a win and three top-five finishes all five Bandolero races at the 2023 Citrus County Speedway Winter Nationals. During the 2023 Summer Shootout, McCoy earned back-to-back wins. He is the 2023 Charlotte Motor Speedway Winter Heat Champion and 2023 Winter Showdown Bandit Champion at Auburndale Speedway.
