Stock car racer Dystany Spurlock is on track to make NASCAR history

Phil Horton, a longtime motorsports performance coach, said he can vividly recall the moment he knew his trainee, Dystany Spurlock, was “exceptional.”

In March, Spurlock, a former professional motorcycle drag racer, made her stock car racing debut in the ARCA Menards Series East, one of NASCAR’s regional developmental divisions, piloting the No. 66 Foxxtecca Chevrolet in the Cook Out 200 at Hickory Motor Speedway in Newton, N.C.

According to Horton, just before the race began, Spurlock turned to him and uttered seven simple words: “I think I’m going to throw up.” 

Though one might think hearing such a confession before a race would worry a coach, Horton said it only encouraged him.

“That was one of those instances where I knew Dystany was special,” Horton told Andscape. “So many athletes try to hide that type of stuff. But for her to admit that? It spoke volumes. She was honest with me — she admitted how she felt — and because of that, I was able to give her the right advice. And she took it.”

The 34-year-old Spurlock finished seventh out of 24 drivers in the Cook Out 200, becoming the first Black woman to compete in a NASCAR-affiliated series. She has a chance to make more history Friday, when she is set to become the first Black woman to compete in one of NASCAR’s three national touring series. She will pilot the No. 69 Foxxtecca Ford for MBM Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series Ecosave 200 at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware.

Spurlock’s journey into NASCAR began when she was 5 years old. Originally from Richmond, Va., Spurlock grew up with her grandfather, Robert Spurlock, about 2 miles from Richmond Raceway. Whenever a race was on, he opened the doors and windows so his granddaughter could hear the action while watching on television, immersing herself in an experience she would eventually join.

“I remember being a little girl, feeling so excited,” Dystany Spurlock said. “My grandfather loved Dale Earnhardt and his number was three. My favorite number was also three, so whenever I would watch him race, I would just be like, ‘Yeah! That’s going to be me.’ So, I always wanted to participate in NASCAR, but I always thought it was something you had to be born into or have the money for, and I had neither at the time.”

When Spurlock was 12, her godfather introduced her to motorcycle drag racing.

“My mom bought me my first motorcycle when I was 16, and I’ve been racing motorcycles ever since. But even still, I never gave up on the dream of becoming a NASCAR driver,” she said.

Everything changed when she met Chris Harris and Kellie Crawford, the co-founders of Foxxtecca, an events and media company. Harris and Crawford have helped fund Spurlock’s NASCAR pursuit. Other Foxxtecca athletes include Lavar Scott, a rising NASCAR driver, and Cam Carraway, a 15-year-old motorsports driver, both of whom are Black.

“Chris and Kellie always believed me,” Spurlock said. “They always told me, ‘If we can make this happen for you, we’re going to do it.’ And now, I’m doing it.”

Robert Spurlock said he wasn’t surprised once his granddaughter finally broke into NASCAR.  

“We would go to the racetrack sometimes, and I would think to myself, ‘This little girl will end up here one day,’” he told Andscape. “It’s what she always wanted to do. Similar to her name, it’s almost like it was destiny.” 

As the first Black woman to compete in a NASCAR-affiliated series, Dystany Spurlock recognizes her impact. 

“I never got into NASCAR to be the first — I just so happen to be the first,” she said. “And I think that’s great, but my goal is to just inspire little girls and little boys that look like me. Whether that’s to be a racer, or to be on the pit team, or be an engineer … whatever it is, I want them to know that there is space for them.

“I love racing, but I don’t just do this for me. I do it for those who come after me.”

Horton, a former pit crew member and strength and conditioning coach, is an interpreter for Spurlock to help translate what NASCAR handlers and mechanics are saying. Horton has worked in several roles, from head sports trainer at the University of Memphis to strength coach with the Milwaukee Bucks. He said Spurlock belongs in the select club of “blue-chip athletes” he’s worked with.

“She’s a phenom. She’s a self-actualized performer. If she were playing football, she’d be a five-star recruit. And trust me, I know a little bit about athletes,” Horton said. “Her hand-eye coordination? Superior. Her physicality and strength? Excellent. Her focus? Exceptional. But her biggest attribute is her ability to be coached. That’s hard to find these days, and that’s why she’s that type of athlete.”

Although she has made NASCAR history, Spurlock said there’s more to accomplish.

“There’s a lot of gatekeeping in sports,” she said. “When I first got into racing, I didn’t have a blueprint. I had to learn on the go. But now I’m in a position to be the blueprint for those coming after me, so they won’t have to go through all the hardships that I’ve had to go through.

“Sometimes people won’t do things because it’s never been done before, and they’re scared. Well, guess what? Now I’ve done it. I’m proof that regardless of your skin color or gender, you can do anything.” 

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