CONCORD, N.C. – Former Norfolk State student-athletes Brehanna Daniels, Quinta Funderburk and Lamar Neal competed in the first-ever national combine last weekend as part of the NASCAR Drive For Diversity® (D4D) Crew Member Development Program.

NSU was one of six universities to host a regional combine in early April, designed to recruit minority men and women to serve as tire changers, carriers and jackmen in professional motorsports. A total of 18 athletes from eight universities were then flown to the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C. There, they were evaluated based on a series of fitness, agility and pit crew drills in the actual combine on May 27.

From there, a total of 10 participants will be notified in late June of their acceptance into the development program operated by Rev Racing, with the goal of gaining future employment on pit crews of NASCAR National Series race teams. Training for the program will start by Sept. 1.

The D4D combine participants also attended the Hisense 4K TV 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway last Saturday as part of NASCAR’s Memorial Day weekend in Charlotte.

According to a NASCAR press release, many of the former athletes chosen to compete in the combine have no background in motorsports. However, their athleticism and teamwork skills are well-suited for NASCAR’s pit road.

Daniels, a former women’s basketball player at NSU, stated in a NASCAR press conference that there was a lot to learn in a short amount of time. She later stated that she got better with more reps as a tire changer, a position that fits her well because of her small size (5-foot-5) and quickness.

“Seeing how fast they worked in the pit crew stops, I was amazed,” Daniels stated. “Just seeing how fast they get the job done, together as a team.

“Everything you do in the pit stop is crucial,” she said later in the press conference held after participants practiced for the combine the day before. “When it comes to a lot of things, timing is really everything. You really have to have focus working in the pit crew stop. It’s really no joke. It’s just so fast. Everything goes so fast in there.”

Daniels admitted she was not familiar with auto racing besides seeing it on television from time to time. It was not until NSU held one of the regional combines that she realized she had a chance to work in professional motorsports.

“I’ve never imagined myself working with NASCAR,” said Daniels. “I figured I could do a good job because I work really hard. Things turned out really well for me.”