Series PR Report
Photo by: Tom Whitmore/Getty Images for NASCAR

Daytona Beach, FL(January 15, 2013) — Coming off the most successful season in the nine-year history of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, NASCAR and Rev Racing welcomed the 2013 NASCAR D4D class live on Google+ Hangout today – a group that will attempt to match the first series championship in the program’s history.

“Four drivers selected from the NASCAR Drive For Diversity Combine will join three returning drivers to compete for Rev Racing in 2013,” said Max Siegel, owner of Rev Racing. “With Kyle Larson capturing NASCAR D4D’s first title in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, as well as the series’ Sunoco Rookie of Year Award, the new class is in a position to continue the momentum and defend the 2013 title.”

Bryan Ortiz, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and Ryan Gifford, of Winchester, Tenn., will return to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Ortiz finished second to teammate Larson in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors last season and fifth in the standings.

They will be joined by Daniel Suarez of Monterrey, Mexico, and Mackena Bell of Carson City, Nev. Suarez is coming off a third-place finish in Mexico’s NASCAR Toyota Series, while Bell drove in Rev Racing’s Late Model program last year.

Annabeth Barnes from Hiddenite, N.C., and Jack Madrid from San Clemente, Calif., will pilot the Late Models for Rev Racing. While Devon Amos, from Rio Rancho, N.M., will compete for the team’s Legends program.

“In 2012, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative has strengthened its position as a leading driver development platform in our sport with outstanding finishes from many drivers, especially Kyle’s championship, which was a first for the program,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “Clearly, the NASCAR D4D initiative and Rev Racing have raised the bar in preparing young drivers for success in our sport.”

Seventeen hopefuls went through a three-day driver evaluation of on-track performances and physical fitness to be considered for a spot in the 2013 D4D class. For the second-consecutive year, the NASCAR D4D Combine was held at Langley Speedway, a .4-mile asphalt oval and NASCAR-sanctioned track.

While several of the drivers will compete in the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18-19, the full team will begin its season in March. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers will make their series debut at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway March 9, while the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers open their season on March 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Toyota and Toyota Racing Development will once again support Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, with all drivers racing Toyota Camrys in 2013. Goodyear, Mobil 1, Sprint, NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI), 3M, Wix Filters, Mechanix Wear, iRacing, Castle, JRI Shocks, Impact, Playseat, Doghouse Systems, Logitech and Sign Innovations also return to support Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.

To watch today’s Google+ Hangout video announcement, click here: http://youtu.be/I84oaGqSYRU.

About REV RACING

Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, is part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, which is the industry’s leading development program for minority and female drivers and crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit www.revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 175 countries and in 25 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED, Motor Racing Network, Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM Radio. NASCAR fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as three international series. Also part of NASCAR is GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series, known for competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be The Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 16 on FOX. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR on www.facebook.com/NASCAR or on Twitter: @NASCAR.