For decades, women in NASCAR have had to fight for every inch. Just ask Janet Guthrie. A rival driver once claimed that women couldn’t succeed in the sport, simply because they lacked a certain body part. She was a literal aerospace engineer, and went on to become the first woman to race in Indianapolis 500. She didn’t miss a beat saying, “I never did understand the utility of that apparatus in driving a race car.” Drivers like her paved way for modern stars like Danica Patrick and Toni Breidinger. And now, another name is ready to step through it.

Dystany Spurlock is set to make her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut, and in doing so, she’s on the verge of rewriting history in a way the sport has never seen before. So, what’s this ‘first-of-its-kind’ entry about? Let’s find out.

“I’m excited for Watkins Glen. It’s been a while since I’ve raced on a road course, so I’m looking forward to getting back out there. Having the opportunity to compete in ARCA and make my debut in the Truck is going to be a lot of fun,” Dystany Spurlock said in a team release.

On May 8 at Watkins Glen International, Spurlock will become the first Black woman to start a race in NASCAR’s top three series (Cup, O’Reilly, or Truck), signaling a milestone moment for the sport. The 34-year-old will compete in the Bully Hill Vineyards 176, driving the No. 69 Ford F-150 for MBM Motorsports and Garage 66. But this opportunity hasn’t come out of nowhere.

Spurlock has been steadily building her résumé across multiple disciplines. She made history earlier as the first Black woman to compete in the ARCA Menards Series at both regional and national levels. Her performances have backed up the promise, too.

Dystany Spurlock finished seventh at Hickory after starting eighth, then followed it up with a 12th-place run at Rockingham. Her most impressive outing came at Kansas Speedway, where she climbed from 29th on the grid to finish inside the top 10. That kind of progression speaks volumes about her adaptability and racecraft.

And if there’s one thing consistent about Dystany Spurlock’s journey, it’s breaking barriers. Before stock cars, she played high school football in Virginia as a cornerback and safety, already stepping into spaces where few expected her. From there, she carved her name in motorcycle racing, and the results speak for themselves. 

In 2025, she became only the second Black woman to compete professionally in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class. A year later, she turned heads by setting a world record in the XDA Real Street class with a 7.32-second run at 178 mph. Now, NASCAR is the next frontier. It feels like Dystany’s destiny.

But the challenge at Watkins Glens will be more than just symbolic. As part of her weekend at Watkins Glen International, Spurlock will tackle a demanding doubleheader. She will also make her second ARCA Menards Series start in the General Tire 100. Racing twice in a  single day at one of North America’s most technical road courses will not be easy. Plus, the 2.45 mile circuit is known for its high speed straights and complex corners. The infamous Bus stop is where races are often won, lost or end up in barriers!

The Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at the Glen will start at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT.

“Driven by Dystany”: A story NASCAR hasn’t seen before

As Dystany Spurlock prepares to make history on the track, her journey off it is already being documented in a powerful new way. Driven by Dystany: The Road to NASCAR, a docuseries produced by Foxxtecca, offers a behind-the-scenes look at her path to becoming the first Black woman to compete in a NASCAR national series.

The series goes beyond race results. It follows Spurlock’s transition from motorcycle drag racing into stock cars, capturing her training process, test sessions at Hickory Motor Speedway, and the buildup to her landmark debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Watkins Glen.

It’s a raw, unfiltered look at what it actually takes to break into one of motorsports’ toughest arenas. That authenticity is exactly what the creators are aiming for.

“Dystany’s docuseries takes viewers inside a journey most people never see—the real path to becoming a NASCAR driver, told through her lived experience of a black woman in this space,” said Chris Harris, who co-founded the Detroit-based company alongside Kellie Crawford. “It’s not just about building her audience or authentically highlighting diversity, it’s about expanding the audience for motorsports while directly challenging and exposing the assumptions that have kept too many people on the outside looking in.”

And that’s what makes this project bigger than just one driver. Because while Dystany Spurlock’s debut is already historic, the story behind it has the potential to resonate even further. It will surely open doors, shift perspectives, and show that NASCAR’s future might look very different from its past.