Dystany Spurlock Making History As 1st Black Woman In NASCAR Affiliate

Michael Jordan isn’t the only one making history in racing, as Dystany Spurlock is pulling up beside him.

Spurlock is racing in the 2026 ARCA Menards Series East season-opener at Hickory Motor Speedway on March 28, which makes her the first Black woman to ever compete in ARCA.

ARCA, which stands for the Automobile Racing Club of America, was founded in 1953, and while an official part of NASCAR since 2018, it’s used as a stepping stone. Almost like college or the NBA’s G-League, it’s an opportunity for lesser-known stars to hone in on their skills before the bright lights of NASCAR with more attention and sponsorships.

Hickory, in North Carolina, is known as a proving ground for next-up talent, even nicknamed “Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars.”

Only for Spurlock, she isn’t exactly new to the world of racing, because she comes from the world of motorcycles, where she’s been drag racing since 2017 and even manages her own National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) team, which she says is “beyond” her “wildest dreams.”

But now she’s turning those racing skills to NASCAR’s developmental ranks as she sits behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford Mustang for MBM Motorsports and Garage 66, owned by former NASCAR driver Carl Long.

“This moment means everything to me,” Spurlock told ARCA. “Since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of racing in NASCAR. I’ve worked so hard for this, so many opportunities that have come and gone, but now I’m really here, and I’m ready. I’m excited to build my race craft and learn, and hopefully make it to the Cup level.”

Spurlock’s been chronicling her racecar journey in a docuseries titled Driven by Dystany: The Road to NASCAR, available on her YouTube channel.

Ahead of her March 28 debut, see social media reacting to her history-making career pivot below.