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Nick Sanchez, a 21-year-old and 2022 ARCA Menards Series Champion, is in the midst of his rookie season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. But who is Nick Sanchez and how did he get into racing? Here is everything to know about Nick Sanchez.
Sanchez was born on June 10, 2001 in Miami, Florida. According to his website, Sanchez was born to a Cuban-American family. He started driving on power wheels, ATVs, and dune buggies at the young age of two years old, also saying that his dad’s construction company gave Sanchez a love for “Anything with wheels”.
He attended his first NASCAR Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami at the age of five, and started racing BMX bikes one year later at the age of six. Despite his love for racing, Sanchez said that he spent five years playing football, all the while saying he had the desire to race cars. When he was 12, Sanchez said he finally convinced his parents to let him race go-karts.
After 3.5 years in go-karts, Sanchez got his big break through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program. Rev Racing was calling Sanchez’s name.
Rev Racing calls themselves, “The competition arm of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program.” This team trains up female and minority drivers and crew members who have a desire to compete in NASCAR. In 2017, they called Nick Sanchez’s name.
Sanchez says on his website that he finished fifth the Bojangles Summer Shootout legend car series at Charlotte Motor Speedway before moving up to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. In 2020, he made his move up to ARCA racing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East and running four ARCA Menards Series races. He would finish third in the ARCA Menards Series East Championship before running 18 out of the 20 ARCA Menards Series races in 2021, where he got his first ARCA win.
In a battle with fellow current NASCAR drivers Ty Gibbs and Corey Heim, Sanchez would make a dramatic overtime pass with two laps to go to take his first ARCA win in the season finale at Kansas.
In 2022, Sanchez got his first full-time season in the ARCA Menards Series where he would win races at Kansas, Talladega, and Michigan taking home the series championship. He impressed enough to even get eight starts in the Xfinity Series.
He would find his groove late in the Xfinity Series season finishing seventh at Martinsville and qualifying third at Phoenix in the season finale finishing in 12th. Rev Racing then moved up to full-time competition in the Craftsman Truck Series.
Thanks a technical alliance with Kyle Busch Motorsports, Sanchez is able to drive in top equipment, and has shown flashes of brilliance in the Truck Series this season. He has won two poles, including at the season opener at Daytona. He also led 168 laps at Texas before being spun out on the last lap, and has a second place finish to his credit at Atlanta.
In an era where NASCAR is becoming more and more diverse, it is great to see NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program be put to good use. Nick Sanchez could be the next Cup driver who is an alum of the program.
