Despite her groundbreaking start in the ECOSAVE 200 ending early, Spurlock became the first Black woman to compete in one of NASCAR’s three national touring series.
DOVER, Del. — Dystany Spurlock made motorsports history Friday at Dover Motor Speedway, becoming the first Black woman to compete in one of NASCAR’s three national touring series with her debut in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series ECOSAVE 200.
Driving the No. 69 Foxxtecca Ford for MBM Motorsports and Garage 66, Spurlock cemented her place in NASCAR history when the green flag dropped at the “Monster Mile.”
The landmark moment ended earlier than expected, however, after an incident in the race’s opening stage cut her debut short.
Spurlock qualified 34th in the 36-truck field, which included Cup Series regulars Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, and Ross Chastain. After taking the start from Row 17, she settled into a steady rhythm around the high-banked concrete oval and worked her way up to 32nd position in the early going.
But Spurlock said the track conditions had changed significantly from earlier in the day. “After our practice and qualifying, the Cup guys had their practice session, and once we got back out there the track surface was completely different,” she explained. “It was tight everywhere, so I had to really minimize how much throttle I could get into through the corners.”
The race-ending incident took place coming out of Turn 2 on lap 37 as another truck pulled up tightly to her inside.
“Once that happens, you pretty much have to let him go, which I tried to do as much as I could,” Spurlock said. “But by the time he went past me, it sucked the air from under me and got me really loose. I tried to save it as much as I could, and then another truck came to the other side and sucked the air from that side and just snapped me around. At that point, there was nothing I could do.”
Spurlock was almost able to gather the truck back up before the banking and tight quarters of Dover ultimately sent the No. 69 into the outside wall. The front-end damage was too severe to continue.
“But I was fine,” she added.
While the result was disappointing, the start itself was a monumental achievement, and the experience gained throughout the weekend will serve both Spurlock and the team moving forward.
In fact, it was a challenging day from the start. The team had lost 20 minutes of practice time after failing pre-race technical inspection. Once on track, Spurlock’s truck repeatedly shut off because of a failed crank position sensor, limiting her practice laps. Despite the complications and shortened track time, Spurlock still managed to post a respectable pace.
But the historic significance of the moment remains undeniable. Spurlock’s debut represented another important step forward for diversity and representation in stock car racing while also marking a major milestone in her fast-developing racing career.
Earlier this season, Spurlock became the first Black woman to compete in the NASCAR-owned ARCA Menards Series East when she started—and finished an impressive seventh—at Hickory Motor Speedway. She added another milestone shortly after by stepping up to the national ARCA Menards Series and earning another top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway.
Primary sponsor Foxxtecca remains fully committed to Spurlock both on and off the racetrack as she works toward building experience and creating future opportunities at NASCAR’s highest levels.
“History was made,” said Chris Harris, co-founder of Foxxtecca. “Regardless of the outcome, this moment is monumental for sports, women in sports, and the continued progress of equality and diversity.
“The competitor in all of us wanted a better result, but that’s racing,” he added. “Foxxtecca will continue to support Dystany and diversity in the mobility industry. There is a lot of change that needs to happen in motorsports and mobility, and Foxxtecca is proud to be a disruptor for positive change. We aren’t going anywhere. On to the next race.”
Based in Detroit and co-founded by Harris and Kellie Crawford, Foxxtecca is an experiential media and events company operating at the intersection of mobility, culture, and technology. The company connects the automotive industry with new and diverse audiences through storytelling, education, and live experiences.
Foxxtecca is also producing the docuseries Driven by Dystany: The Road to NASCAR, which follows Spurlock’s progression through the motorsports ranks. The behind-the-scenes series has helped bring widespread attention to her career while continuing to grow her fanbase and national profile.
Spurlock is scheduled to compete next in the ARCA Menards Series Henry Ford Health 200 at Michigan International Speedway on June 5. The event will mark her first appearance at the fast 2-mile D-shaped superspeedway known for its high speeds, 18-degree banking, and intense racing.
ABOUT FOXXTECCA
Foxxtecca is a Detroit-based experiential events and media company operating at the intersection of mobility, culture, and technology. Co-founded by Chris Harris and Kellie Crawford, Foxxtecca amplifies underrepresented voices in the mobility and technology industries through motorsports, education, and culturally driven experiences.
