*At 34 years old, Dystany Spurlock is doing something no Black woman has ever done in NASCAR history. The Richmond, Virginia native and professional motorcycle drag racer will become the first Black woman to compete in one of NASCAR’s top three national series when she makes her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut on May 8, 2026, at Watkins Glen International.
Her journey from two wheels to stock cars has been defined by world records, dramatic late-race saves, and an unwavering commitment to breaking barriers.
Breaking Barriers on Two Wheels First
Spurlock started racing motorcycles at age 17. She quickly developed a reputation for raw speed and technical skill, eventually competing in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle. This achievement alone placed her among a handful of Black women ever to reach that level in the NHRA. In 2024, she set a world record in Real Street Bike with a blistering 7.32 ET at 178 mph. She also made history as the first woman to win the DME Racing Real Street class in the XDA Series, earning multiple wins and podiums in classes like the 4.60 Index and Real Street.
Beyond racing, Spurlock wears many hats. She is a SAG-AFTRA actress, model, entrepreneur, and former 18-wheeler driver. Fans know her for her bold fashion choices, including a signature pink racing suit with a corset. She is active on Instagram at @dystanyspurlock with over 100,000 followers and has a docuseries in the works titled “Driven by Dystany: The Road to NASCAR.” Her official website is dystanyspurlock.com.
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A Breakthrough 2026 Stock Car Season
The 2026 season has already been historic for Spurlock, who races with MBM Motorsports / Garage 66 in the No. 66 or No. 69 Foxxtecca car. She became the first Black woman to compete in the ARCA Menards Series East, finishing a strong seventh place at Hickory Motor Speedway. She then made history again as the first Black woman in a national ARCA Menards Series event, taking 10th place at Kansas Speedway. That performance included a dramatic late-race save that drew widespread praise from fans and commentators alike. Described as an “adrenaline junkie,” Spurlock is also a role model for women and people of color in a male-dominated sport.
The Pioneers Who Came Before: Tia Norfleet and Brehanna Daniels
Dystany Spurlock did not arrive in a vacuum. She stands on the shoulders of other groundbreaking Black women in NASCAR history. Tia Norfleet (Shauntia Latrice Norfleet) became the first African American woman to obtain a NASCAR driver’s license and a Late Model racing license in the early 2010s. The daughter of NASCAR driver Bobby Norfleet, she competed in Bandolero cars and late model stock cars on short tracks, breaking the initial licensing barrier for Black women behind the wheel.
Then there is Brehanna Daniels, who made history in 2017 as the first Black woman to work as a pit crew member in NASCAR. A former college basketball player at Norfolk State, Daniels joined NASCAR through the Drive for Diversity program and became the first Black woman to go “over the wall” as a tire changer in ARCA and later in the national NASCAR series (Truck, Xfinity, and Cup). She is also the first Black woman to pit in the Daytona 500. While Norfleet and Daniels broke barriers in licensing and pit crew roles, Spurlock is now breaking the barrier on the track itself in a national series.
The Historic May 8 Doubleheader
On May 8, 2026, Dystany Spurlock will accomplish what no Black woman has done before. She will race in both the ARCA Menards Series (1:30 PM ET on FS2) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (4:30 PM ET on FS1) at Watkins Glen International. Her truck debut marks a watershed moment for diversity in motorsports, proving that the path from motorcycle drag racing to NASCAR is not only possible but powerful. Spurlock’s journey shows that determination, skill, and courage can break any barrier.
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