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Opportunity Knocks
Dugan making the most of his second chanceLast October, Phil Dugan was headed to the annual Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine presented by Sunoco not knowing what to expect; what would the competition be like, which team owners would be in attendance, and more importantly, what would those team owners think of him?
Dugan, who is of Korean descent, had learned about the Drive for Diversity initiative a year earlier, but had waited to apply until he was confident he had the application package that would earn him an invitation to the Combine.
“I took the application process very seriously,” says Dugan. “I wanted to make sure my application stood out from the rest and had the substance that the selection committee was looking for. With the help of my sponsor, Project Filter, I was able to put together something I was proud of.”
Dugan’s application – a combination of on-track performance and off-tack community service – did stand out, earning him one of the 25 spots at the 2008 Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine presented by Sunoco. The third-generation driver was one step closer to achieving his ultimate goal to compete in NASCAR.
“I knew that just attending the Combine would be a huge opportunity, even if I wasn’t selected for the program,” he says. “I was fortunate to have a great sponsor in Project Filter on my late model car, but I needed something more to get me to that next level. Running late models in Idaho, I never had a ton of money or the best equipment, but we made it work.”
Dugan’s sponsor, Project Filter, is the tobacco prevention and control program of Idaho and works to create a state free from tobacco-related death and disease. Dugan has been involved with Project Filter since 2007, and supports the initiative by participating in public speaking engagements, show car appearances and youth events.
“Project Filter is an important initiative for the state of Idaho,” says Dugan. “Working with this program has prepared me to be around sponsors and key decision makers in all aspects of business.”
Despite a strong showing at the Combine, Dugan was not one of the 12 drivers originally named to the 2009 Drive for Diversity roster. He didn’t give up, though, and found a way to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Series West with his family-owned team, Dynamic Motorsports.
“We got the family team going,” Dugan says, “to just let everyone know ‘hey, we’re still here.’ We didn’t have any idea what to expect at that level. We drove to the first race of the season at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., with our 24-foot trailer and one racecar. When we pulled in the gate, they tried to park us with the late model division trailers instead of with the NASCAR Camping World Series West cars.”
Dugan’s persistence paid off when, just a few races into the season, a spot opened up on the Drive for Diversity roster. Dugan was invited to join RTD Motorsports with the support of the D4D program.
“I was disappointed that I wasn’t originally selected for the 2009 program,” Dugan said, “but I was not going to let this opportunity pass me by.”
Dugan is now piloting the No. 34 RTD Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Series West under the Drive for Diversity banner and hopes to return to the program for another season in 2010. When he’s not competing for RTD Motorsports, Dugan stays involved in hometown racing at Meridian (Idaho) Speedway.
“My goal for the rest of this season is to just keep improving every week,” Dugan says. “I know this is not where it’s going to end for me. This is only the beginning.”
Applications for the 2010 Drive for Diversity Driver Development program are now being accepted. For more information about Phil Dugan or the Drive for Diversity program, visit www.D4D.tv
