ARCA Menards Series Drivers Nick Sanchez and Rajah Caruth Visit Palm Terrace Elementary Ahead of Saturday’s Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona International Speedway

ARCA Menards Series drivers and NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity program members Nick Sanchez (No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet) and Rajah Caruth (No. 6 Rev Racing Chevrolet) both kicked off their first racing weekend of the 2022 season with a visit to the second-grade class at Palm Terrace Elementary School, located just across the street from Daytona International Speedway, site of Saturday’s Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire.  

Sanchez and Caruth talked to the school children about how series officials and team members communicate with drivers while they are on the racetrack, demonstrating what the green flag, yellow flag, and red flag means and then celebrating when the children collectively waved their checkered flags.  

“It’s great to be able to go and visit with kids like that because we always try to pay it forward,” Caruth said. “Any time we can go and motivate the next generation we want do it because it wasn’t that long ago I was one of those kids. I really like to let them know they can do this too, especially kids who look like me.” 

School principal Tucker Harris has hosted several racing-themed events at the school in recent years.  

“It’s always great to have racecar drivers here to talk to our kids because they allow us to show them some of the concepts we’re trying to teach them in the classroom in real-world applications,” he said. “The science piece of it all really enlightens and motivates our children. Over Christmas break we had a reading initiative and DIS and NASCAR allowed our kids to go over to the track in a limousine to celebrate their learning. It’s not only cool for me as a NASCAR fan to be out there but to have it in our back yard and have that community piece it’s critical because teaching is hard.  When you know you’re not alone and you have powerful organizations and partners backing us it motivates me as a principal to get it done for our children.”  

Mr. Harris takes the children under his wing, directing them not only to learn the traditional school subjects but to learn how to make good choices as well.  

“I have an amazing group of kids and I am proud of them every day,” he said. “From where they start to where they finish, we move all of our kids here in a positive direction. That’s because of the teachers and the team. I am the beneficiary of a wonderful team and an amazing community.”  

As for who he will be pulling for once the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire takes the green flag, it was no contest.  

“Go number 2 and go number 6!”  

The first race of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season kicks off a busy Saturday of racing at Daytona International Speedway that will conclude with the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series as well. The Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire will be televised live on FS1 starting at 1:30 pm ET, followed by the Xfinity Series season-opener, also on FS1, at 5 pm ET. 

ARCA PR