Lincoln County’s Katie Hagar, 23, of Damariscotta, is preparing for her third straight season in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity (D4D) program. She has spent the past two years competing on the West Coast in Roseville, Cal., in NASCAR’s D4D program with Bill McAnnally (BMR) in 2008 and with Frank Jordan and Golden State Racing in 2009.
She competed at the All-American Speedway, Madera Speedway and the New Stockton 99 Speedway. She set a new track record for NASCAR in Late Models at the 99 Speedway in 2009. She finished the 2009 season with one pole, four top five finishes, seven top 10’s, three top 15’s and one top 20.
Hagar moved to the East Coast last fall and will compete in North Carolina for the 2010 racing season. She is scheduled to compete in four NASCAR Camping World Series East Rides, and six NASCAR Whelan All-American Series Late Model Rides.
Drive for Diversity unveiled their drivers for the 2010 season on Feb. 10, and Hagar was one of 11 drivers chosen.
Part of this year’s selection process was to participate in a reality TV show called “Changing Lanes,” which was developed in collaboration with the NASCAR Media Group and is set to air on BET (Black Entertainment Television) this spring.
The docu-reality series highlights the driver selection process for the NASCAR D4D program, which backs female and minority drivers in a feeder program for the sports top level. The eight part series will showcase the development of young Drive for Diversity competitors trying to make it in the world of NASCAR racing.
Hagar returned to Maine two weeks ago to participate in the 11th annual Busch Sport Scene Snowmobile Ride for Charity on Feb. 6 at the Club House Restaurant in Rangeley.
She rode an Artic Cat snowmobile, loaned to her from PJ’s Power Sport. She hit the trails with a group of sledders from the Rangeley Snowmobile Club. The ride was filmed by Mainely Motorsports.
After the event, she immediately flew back to North Carolina, then traveled to Daytona, Fla., for the announcement of NASCAR’s D4D 2010 class, held at Daytona 500 Experience’s IMAX Theater.
The 2010 drivers were selected following the D4D Combine presented by Sunoco last October at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va.
Hagar got her start in racing at the age of 11 in 1996 on the Southern Maine Karting circuit. She then raced in the Allison Legacy Series and later with the Pro All Star Series in New England, racing in open wheel modified and Super Late Model divisions.
In 2002 she won five out of 14 races in the Southern Maine Karting at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, and collected nine top five finishes and 12 top 10 finishes and one pole. She finished runner-up in the point standings.
In 2003, she ran in 12 races with the New England Allison Legacy Series, winning five, and having eight top five finishes and 12 top 10, and was second in the points series. In 2004 she competed in 14 races, winning two, with five top five finishes and seven top 10’s and was third in the point series.
She moved up to the New England Pro All Star Series North in 2005 and was runner-up for Rookie of the Year, earning one top five, four top 10 finishes and was ninth in points.
She competed in 14 races at Oxford Plains Speedway Late Model Division in 2005 and had one top five, five top 10 and was 12th in points.
In 2007 she was the only female racer in the New England Pro All Star Series North Outlaw division. In 16 races, she had two top five outings, four top 10’s, two poles and was 12th in points.
In her first season with D4D in California, she was 13th in the point standings at All American Speedway, and raced to 11 top 10 finishes.