Professional motorcycle drag racer Dystany Spurlock is beginning the journey to fulfill a lifelong dream of racing in NASCAR’s Cup Series, taking the first steps on that path as she prepares to compete in the ARCA Menards Series during the 2026 season.
Instead of a one-time debut, Spurlock will take a step-by-step approach, starting with late model racing and, once approved by NASCAR’s competition committee, entering ARCA competition as she pursues stock car racing’s highest stage. Each phase brings her closer to a season-long campaign in NASCAR’s top feeder series, where she’ll compete against experienced racers at some of the sport’s toughest and most iconic tracks.
Her journey starts at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina, where Spurlock will compete in a late model series to gain valuable seat time on paved ovals. She then plans to enter the ARCA Menards Series East event at Hickory in late March, a critical step toward national-level competition, with the goal of advancing into a spring ARCA Menards Series national event and racing regularly throughout the season.
Completing this progression would make Spurlock the first Black woman in NASCAR’s 77-year history to compete at any level. While her focus remains squarely on development, performance, and earning her place on track, it would represent a historic moment for the sport.
Spurlock’s stock car development is being supported by MBM Motorsports, led by former NASCAR driver and veteran team owner Carl Long. Based in Statesville, N.C., MBM brings decades of experience across NASCAR’s three national touring series and will provide a strong foundation for her ARCA program.
As Spurlock works through the demanding process required to earn approval to compete in NASCAR, each step of her journey will be documented by primary sponsor Foxxtecca, an experiential events and media company co-founded by Chris Harris and Kellie Crawford. Titled Driven by Dystany: The Road to NASCAR the project provides an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at the preparation, evaluations, setbacks, and commitments involved in pursuing a NASCAR license and progressing toward her ultimate goal of racing in the Cup Series.
Spurlock’s push toward ARCA is the result of a six-year development effort launched by the African American Automotive Association (AAAA) and later joined by Foxxtecca, whose mission is to build pathways into motorsports through competition, education, and long-term development. Harris—through the AAAA—has managed Spurlock’s career, helped shape her driver development, and worked to position her for this next step.
“Dystany’s resilience is one for the record books. She has gracefully plowed through every roadblock and worked her tail off for this very moment,” Harris said. “She has earned this opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of racing at this level, and Foxxtecca is making sure she has the support she needs to maximize it.”
Longtime NASCAR athletic trainer Phil Horton, who is overseeing Spurlock’s preparation, also played a key role in the process by connecting Harris with Long, helping bring the partnership together.
Her move to stock cars builds on an already groundbreaking career in motorcycle drag racing. Spurlock was the first woman to win the Real Street class in the XDA Motorcycle Drag Racing Series—setting a world record in the process—and holds multiple BMW S1000RR performance records in the U.S. and internationally.
In 2025, she became only the second Black woman to compete professionally in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class and is currently finalizing plans for her sophomore season, where she’ll race with the Arana Racing team led by father-and-son duo Hector Arana Sr. and Hector Jr.
Spurlock plans to take on the rare challenge of competing in both professional series during the same season by putting in the work and trusting the process.
“This is about earning the opportunity the right way,” she said. “Nothing about this has come easy. It’s taken sacrifice and believing in myself even when the odds were stacked against me. Stepping into NASCAR would be more than the next stage in my career. It would also prove that if you keep pushing and refuse to let obstacles stop you, doors really can open.”
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