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Five years after a NASCAR-endorsed driver diversity program began, no one in the program has reached the Sprint Cup level, and one has competed in the Nationwide series.

Max Siegel thinks he's found a way to change those results and place a minority driver in Cup within five years. The former executive at Dale Earnhardt Inc. is revamping a program beset by questions of funding and performance.

Diversity drivers will no longer be placed with teams as far away as California. All teams that the program's drivers work with will be based in a Mooresville race shop, which benefits from the available workforce among the mechanics in the area after a steady stream of layoffs in the past 18 months. Siegel says that will help standardize equipment for the program's four Camping World Series teams and six Late Model teams.

Coaching for drivers also can be more consistent since all of them will be together in this academy-style program. The drivers also will spend time in the shop, working alongside crew members.

In addition to seeing their company names on race cars, sponsors would be further enticed by exposure on the BET Network. The network, which reaches 98 million households, is planning to carry 10 episodes of a reality show built around the program and its drivers.

Siegel, who estimated the number of people working on the diversity program at 40, also said there will be a youth racing initiative to help provide an early start for minority kids interested in racing. While the diversity program is for ages 16-25, the youth program could help minority candidates gain experience well before age 16. Cup drivers Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon all were racing by the time they were 5 years old.

Nine-year-old John Murphy IV, who is black, has received support through the diversity program to compete in Bandolero cars this year at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The changes come as NASCAR's driver lineup remains largely unchanged, uniform in terms of sex and ethnicity. Juan Pablo Montoya is the only Hispanic competing full time on the Cup circuit. One African American has raced in a Cup race in more than 20 years. No female has driven in Cup since 2002.

The Drive for Diversity program was trumpeted when it debuted in 2004 as a way to provide minorities with opportunities to race and possibly climb NASCAR's ladder. NASCAR supported it, but didn't run the program, citing a potential conflict with the sanctioning body also developing talent. Instead, NASCAR promotes the efforts and has a liaison attached to the program. A Charlotte marketing agency oversaw the initiative, which has featured more than 30 drivers.

While the program has had some success -- Duke's Paulie Harraka, a Syrian, was rookie of the year and won two races in the Camping World West Series this season -- it has seen more drivers fade away.

Former competitors and even Siegel admit that while the program provided some value, it wasn't as strong as it could have been. Brianne Cronrath, who raced in the program from mid-2004 through 2006, said limited success by participants impacted the program's image.

"People have flat out told me, 'Oh, that's but a joke; nobody runs well,' " said Cronrath, who will try to make the program again at the driver combine Oct. 19-20 at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va. "I do feel when it's a program like this, that's certainly not what you want people thinking.''

Reggie Primus, who is black and a member of the inaugural class in 2004, wonders what might have been had there not been such upheaval within his team. His crew chief left before the season started, and a merry-go-round of crew chiefs followed.

"You went into that situation just really hoping that it would help you as a driver,'' Primus said. "You think it's going to be the best thing, and it wasn't.''

Siegel is confident he can help raise the program's profile. His company purchased the Camping World equipment of four-time series champ Andy Santerre, who will oversee those teams. Cup teams also are helping with equipment and resources. Blair Addis, a current Drive for Diversity team owner, will oversee the late model program.

"We're taking on the development responsibility &ellipses; where we're getting the driver ready to move up to participate with these top-tier teams,'' Siegel said.

Even with these programs in place, change might not be immediate.

"People forget that when you're coming up in basketball, if you have a hoop in your driveway, you can go out and dribble and practice all day long,'' Harraka said. "Ten bucks in a batting cage will get you a lot of time in baseball.

"But in motorsports, if you want to go test, you're looking at a crew, you're looking at tires, you're looking at fuel and oil and wear and tear. Motorsports is quite unique in that it is expensive to learn. For that reason it does take a lot of time to develop a motorsports driver."

"Max and John (Story, overseeing day-to-day operations) and his crew have certainly done a lot for the program and are working to make sure the program is pointed in the right direction.''

Big changes from big ideas, but will they lead to a big impact in the sport?

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com