STUDYING SPEED: RACING DRIVER ACADEMY
Ever wonder where the next red-hot NASCAR stars are coming from?
BMR Drivers Academy joins with NASCAR for the Driver Development Program in 2021 with multiple races on the West Coast.
By The Editors & Doug Stokes
Fri, Mar 26, 2021 10:28 AM PST
Well, the next red-hot NASCAR stars really come from all over, but LACar suspects that stock car racing fans are soon going to be seeing quite a few young phenoms who’ve matriculated from the new BMR Driver Academy up near Sacramento …
Here’s the latest on campus news:
BMR Drivers Academy joins with NASCAR for Driver Development Program in 2021
The 2021 BMR Drivers Academy – a NASCAR development program – will feature 14 full-time drivers competing in 16 two-day race events on the West Coast, culminating in opportunities in the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The program opens on March 26-27 at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif. for its 40-race campaign.
NASCAR has joined the Academy as it develops drivers at five NASCAR National and Weekly Series tracks in California. Drivers will compete in full-sized stock cars utilizing a 625-horsepower NASCAR Yates Spec Engine and the same chassis components as ARCA and the NASCAR Truck Series. Races will be streamed live to a worldwide audience via SPEED SPORT TV.
“NASCAR and the ARCA Menards Series are fully committed to strengthening stock car racing on the West Coast. We believe the BMR Drivers Academy will amplify our West Coast efforts and develop future NASCAR and ARCA Menards Series drivers through a competitive environment that will sharpen their skills with real-world racing experience,” Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President & Chief Racing Development Officer.
Drivers that win race events in the Drivers Academy during the season will receive one entry per win, towards a drawing for an opportunity with BMR/MHR in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Phoenix in November. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing fields the #19 Toyota Tundra for Derek Kraus, with a career best finish of second at Darlington in 2020.
After races 14, 24, and 32, the points leader will be awarded an opportunity in a Bill McAnally Racing Toyota for a 2021 ARCA event. Bill McAnally Racing is based in Roseville, Calif. and has won a record 10 NASCAR and ARCA regional championships and more than 100 victories. In 2020, BMR won the ARCA Menards Series West championship with 15-year-old Jesse Love, the youngest champion in series history.
Drivers who have raced at BMR include Cole Custer, Chase Briscoe, Brendan Gaughan, Todd Gilliland, Hailie Deegan, Derek Kraus and Peyton Sellers.
Oval tracks in the 2021 BMR Drivers Academy include All American Speedway, Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale and Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield. Road courses will feature Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma and Thunderhill Raceway near Willows.
In addition to driver support on track, the BMR Drivers Academy program will also provide training in media relations, sponsorship relations, social media, fitness, leadership development, and diet.
Primary car inventory including hood, quarter panels, color scheme, number, and font can be utilized by academy participants for their supporters and sponsors, after approval by the Academy.
The program is being made available to 14 drivers, along with two additional cars being made available for one-off or part-time entries. Program costs and additional details are available at www.BMRDriversAcademy.com For more information about Bill McAnally Racing, visit www.BMRNAPARacing.com
2021 BMR Drivers Academy Schedule
March 26-27 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)
April 9-10 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)
April 23-24 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)
April 30-May 1 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)
May 14-15 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)
May 16-17 Thunderhill Raceway (Willows, CA)
May 29-30 Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, CA)
June 11-12 Irwindale Speedway (Irwindale, CA)
June 25-26 Kern County Raceway Park (Bakersfield, CA)
July 9-10 Kern County Raceway Park (Bakersfield, CA)
July 23-24 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)
August 13-14 Irwindale Speedway (Irwindale, CA)
August 28-29 Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, CA)
September 17-18 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)
September 24-25 Kern County Raceway Park (Bakersfield, CA)
October 1-2 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)
