ARCA Truck Racer Armani Williams Selected For NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity Combine

ARCA Truck Racer Armani Williams Selected For NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity Combine

Topics: Armani Williams

ARCA Truck Racer Armani Williams Selected For NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity Combine

Chris Knight
Knight Motorsports Management
30 September 2016

GROSSE POINT, Mich. – ARCA Truck Series Rookie of the Year candidate Armani Williams was one of 17 drivers from across the country selected to participate in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Combine for an opportunity to compete in the top driver development program in motorsports.

Williams, one of three drivers from the state of Michigan will head to Florida for a national tryout at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway from Oct. 10 – 12.

He is also the youngest male in the Combine and third youngest of the participants.

The 13th annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine invites promising ethnically diverse and female drivers from across North and South American to test their skills over a three-day period as NASCAR evaluates talent for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Class of 2017.

“I’m very humbled by this opportunity to compete in this year’s NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Combine,” said Williams. “I’m focused about going to New Smyrna and doing what I know how to do and hope that will be enough to be selected for such an elite class for 2017.

“There aren’t words to describe what this means to me or my family. For the last several years, we have eaten, lived and breathed racing and know this is an opportunity because of the endless effort and support from my family that I’ll have the opportunity to continue my dream of becoming a professional race car driver.”

Williams, a 16-year-old African-American driver is believed to be the first Combine participant that has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Autism is often misunderstood. It is a neurological development disorder that affects people in many different ways. Most often those diagnosed with Autism battle some social challenges and learning disabilities. Yet, many individuals are bright, talented and extremely focused in areas they find interesting. Today, over 3.5 million people in the United States live with Autism every day.

“No matter what happens in New Smyrna, this opportunity is a blessing,” added Williams. “This chance proves that with hard work, determination and confidence in yourself – things can happen. I’ve been through a lot of battles even before I’ve been on the race track – but since turning my attention to becoming a race car driver, I’ve realized how much of a role model I’ve become for others. It’s because of them, my family and my sponsors that all this is possible.”

Launching his racing career at the tender age of eight, Williams has steadily and methodically built his own resume competing at local short tracks near and around his hometown with a recent emphasis on Super Mini Cup cars, where he enjoyed modest success.

His triumphs in Michigan and Indiana eventually led him to the next stage of his racing career, the ARCA Truck Series which is a pickup truck racing series which runs on numerous short tracks throughout the Midwest. Sanctioned by the Automobile Racing Club of America, the series races mid-sizes trucks with V6 and V8 engines. The 2016 season consists of a 14-race schedule which launched earlier this season at Toledo Speedway.

This weekend after nearly a two-month break, Williams returns to competition in his No. 4 Race4Autism Chevrolet Colorado at Lorain County Speedway in Amherst, Ohio for SPEAR Motorsports.

“It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve been in a truck, but I’m excited to get back after it,” he said. “It’s our next to last race and even though we’ve had a couple bumps in the road during the summer stretch – we want to bounce back and produce the finishes like we did at the beginning of the season with top-five finishes.”

For more on Armani Williams please visit his ALL NEW website, teamarmaniracing.com, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TeamArmaniRacin.

PHOTO CAPTION: Armani Williams, driver of the No. 4 Race4Autism Chevrolet Colorado in the ARCA Truck Series for SPEAR Motorsports.

CONTACT:

Del Williams

delwilliams1@yahoo.com