There is something enchanting about NASCAR that caught the attention of Shawne Merriman long before he entered the NFL.
Growing up in Maryland just outside of Washington, D.C., the retired NFL linebacker said he watched races on TV. He followed superstars Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Petty and remembers buying NASCAR-themed toys, but there was never an opportunity to meet the drivers or develop a personal connection to the sport.
NASCAR has been working to diversify its drivers and crews, particularly with the launch of the Drive for Diversity program in 2004. Merriman is ready to help.
Now five years removed from the NFL, he wants to contribute to NASCAR's growth and expand its accessibility to kids who lack the information and opportunity to learn about the sport.
