A member of the Drive for Diversity roster is on the cusp of making his debut in a national NASCAR series. Nick Sanchez, the driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series, has agreed to run part-time with BJ McLeod Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022.
BMM issued a press release on Tuesday, October 19, confirming that Sanchez will run a part-time schedule in 2022. The team did not reveal the number of races or any sponsorship information, only saying that Sanchez will run “several races” during his debut season. He will also continue to run full-time in the ARCA Menards Series.
Excited to announce I’ll be joining @TeamBJMcLeod for a multi-race schedule in the @NASCAR Xfinity Series next year. Really cool to get the chance to compete at this level. Looking forward to working and building with this team all throughout next year!
“The significance of this next step is very meaningful for me,” Sanchez said in a press release. “It’ll obviously be my first time participating in one of the top 3 series of NASCAR, which is something I’ve always dreamed of ever since I started racing. Since the day I first met BJ, we’ve always been on the same page. We both share the same collective goals for next year and I feel he and his team have made significant strides in performance each year they’ve been in the (Xfinity) Series. My main goal next year is to learn and get the most out of the car’s performance, hopefully. yielding some good finishes for myself and the team.”
Sanchez Is Closing Out His First Full-Time ARCA Menards Season
Today we celebrate @ARCA_Racing driver @Nicksanchez080. #HispanicHeritageMonth
The 20-year-old from Miami is in the midst of his first full-time ARCA Menards Series season, which he has spent with the Driver for Diversity team. He hasn’t reached Victory Lane in the No. 2, but he has contended throughout the year.
Sanchez has posted eight top-five finishes and 12 top-10s in the No. 2, with his best finishes taking place on tracks longer than two miles in length. He captured third at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24, fourth at Pocono Raceway on June 25, and third at Michigan International Speedway on August 20. Though he also registered top-fives at short tracks and road courses.
Sanchez is currently third in the ARCA Menards Series standings with one race remaining on the schedule. Ty Gibbs has the top spot after a season in which he has won 10 times and led 1,590 laps while Corey Heim sits in second with six wins and 405 laps led.
Sanchez Is the Second Drive for Diversity Member To Announce Big 2022 Plans
With Sanchez making the part-time leap to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022, he will be the second member of the Drive for Diversity roster to announce big plans. Rajah Caruth, the driver of the No. 6 entry, previously revealed that he will also run part-time in the Xfinity Series in 2022.
According to an August 30 announcement from Martins Motorsports, Caruth will become a key part of Alpha Prime Racing, a collaboration between Tommy Joe Martins and part-time Xfinity Series driver Caesar Bacarella. He will start out as a part-time driver in the Xfinity Series in 2022 and will compete at Martinsville Speedway, Dover International Speedway, and Richmond Raceway. Caruth will then move to a full-time schedule in 2023 and pursue Rookie of the Year honors.
“Rajah is the future for us,” Martins said in a press release. “I’ve had the privilege of getting to know him and his dad, Roger, over the last few months and they are exactly the type of people we want to be a part of Alpha Prime Racing. Rajah has his whole career in front of him. I’m just honored they trust us to be one of his first steps.”
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Nick Sanchez To Make Xfinity Series Debut in 2022