The 2008 Drive for Diversity crew
member roster was announced today by Access Marketing & Communications, which
runs the Drive for Diversity program. The 2008 Crew Member Development
Program, to be presented by Sprint, will give six minority and female crew
members the opportunity to serve as an apprentice with an established NASCAR
team.
"As a partner of the Drive for Diversity program since its inception,
Sprint is proud to support an initiative that will help broaden the sport now
and in the future," said Steve Gaffney, director-Sports and Entertainment
Marketing for Sprint. "Sprint embraces a culture of inclusion and is well-
recognized for its ongoing commitment to diversity, whether working with
customers, employees, suppliers, or community groups, and we wish this year's
class of crew members the best of luck as they follow their dreams into
NASCAR."
The Drive for Diversity program is in its fifth season as NASCAR's leading
on-track diversity initiative. The program is designed to give minority and
female drivers and crew members an opportunity to compete with established
NASCAR teams. In each of the first four years of the program, participating
crew members competed with NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck
Series and NASCAR Camping World Series teams.
The following six crew members have been selected to participate in the
2008 Crew Member Development Program presented by Sprint:
-- Johnnie Wade, of Greensboro, N.C., selected by Team Dillon Racing
-- Brian Eastland, of New Bern, N.C., selected by Roush Fenway Racing
-- Melissa Hakes, of Antelope, Calif., selected by Bill McAnally Racing
-- Justin Henry, of Elverta, Calif., selected by Golden State Racing
-- Pervis Johnson, of Mooresville, N.C., selected by Roush Fenway Racing
-- Randi Olson, of Oak Grove, Mo., selected by Randy Moss Motorsports
The crew members selected for the program will work with their respective
teams to receive hands-on training related to their area of interest or
expertise. Their apprenticeships began in early August and culminate at the
end of the 2008 race season.
About Drive for Diversity
The Drive for Diversity Program, run by Access Marketing & Communications,
seeks to develop minority and female drivers in the NASCAR Camping World
Series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Drive for Diversity also
supports crew member candidates each year. The Drive for Diversity program is
committed to supporting and enhancing diversity in all aspects of motorsports.
The goal is to foster an environment that enables people from diverse
backgrounds to participate in all levels and capacities of NASCAR. Much of the
success of the Drive for Diversity initiative is a result of support from key
sponsors and involved team owners.
About Sprint
Sprint offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline
communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers,
businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for
developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two
wireless networks serving nearly 53 million customers at the end of the first
quarter 2008; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and
international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet
backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com .
