Dystany Spurlock made history Saturday at Kansas Speedway, becoming the first Black woman to compete in a national ARCA Menards Series event and earning a remarkable 10th-place finish in the Tide 150. A dramatic late-race save after contact kept her car clean and secured the top-10 result in overtime.
Piloting the No. 66 Foxxtecca Ford for MBM Motorsports and Garage 66, Spurlock started dead last in the 29-car field after qualifying was rained out a day earlier. Unfazed, she came out hot and within the first few laps had sliced through nearly half the grid to reach 16th.
A restart around lap 25 produced an intense mid-pack battle, with Spurlock holding her position while banking consistent, mistake-free laps. By the halfway point, she had settled into 17th on the strength of smart, disciplined racecraft.
A well-timed move on the restart around lap 60 propelled Spurlock into the top 15 as she continued building momentum through the second half of the race.
With about 25 laps to go, Spurlock navigated around a fourth caution to claim 12th. The “free pass” rule, awarded to the first eligible driver who’s one or more laps down at the time of a caution flag, put her back on the lead lap. Digging in, she passed another pair of drivers to lock down 10th.
In the closing laps, contact from behind sent Spurlock sideways at full speed. But she executed a textbook save using the full width of the track, maintaining control and keeping the car clean to preserve the top-10 finish.
“It was an amazing day!” Spurlock said. “I’m continuing to race and learn and prove to myself and others that I belong here. I wasn’t happy about getting punted at the close of the race, but I made the best out of it. I’m looking forward to the next race!”
With her start in the Tide 150, Spurlock cements her place in the history books while continuing her climb up NASCAR’s developmental ladder. The debut marks not only a breakthrough in her career, but also a notable milestone in the sport’s ongoing push toward greater diversity and inclusion.
“This moment is significant, not just because of the history attached to it, but because of what it represents,” said Chris Harris, co-owner of Foxxtecca. “Dystany competing at this level is a direct reflection of preparation, opportunity, and an intentional support system. She’s a monster, and she is showing that she belongs here—and, more importantly, that others belong here. This is a step forward for everyone who hasn’t traditionally seen themselves in this space.”
Spurlock will look to build on her Kansas performance in her next start on May 8 at Watkins Glen International. The General Tire 100 at the Glen presents a different kind of challenge, with the team taking on the technical 2.45-mile road course in upstate New York. The event provides another opportunity to gain valuable experience as she continues working toward her long-term goal of competing at NASCAR’s highest levels.
Blazing new trails has become a recurring theme for Spurlock. Before transitioning to stock cars, she made her name in motorcycle drag racing, becoming the first woman to win the Real Street class in the XDA Motorcycle Drag Racing Series and setting a world record in the process. In 2025, she also became just the second Black woman to compete in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle category.
She’s currently scheduled to compete in two of the NHRA’s biggest events later this season: the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, IN, on Sept. 4–7, and the Texas NHRA FallNationals in Dallas, TX, on Oct. 16–18, both with Arana Racing.
Spurlock’s journey is also being documented in Driven by Dystany: The Road to NASCAR, a docuseries produced by Foxxtecca. The series has helped draw widespread attention to her story, building fans and supporters as she continues to break new ground in motorsports
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