Jordan Ferguson went undrafted in 2023 before his NFL dreams were ended. But the former Seattle Seahawks pass-rusher has now found a home in NASCAR and is part of a diverse pit crew
Former Seattle Seahawks player Jordan Ferguson is making a name for himself in NASCAR, transitioning from the NFL to pit crews. Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. fears arrest if he visits his father’s grave because of their stepmother.
Ferguson, who went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft and failed to secure a spot on the Seahawks’ active roster, found himself at a crossroads. He has since found his place in NASCAR, thanks to the Diversity and Inclusion program. It comes as Chase Elliott blamed himself for the costly mistakes at the Coca-Cola 600, which saw him finish in sixth.
Trackhouse Racing, a big supporter of the program, boasts a diverse pit crew that includes Ross Chastain – winner of the Coca-Cola 600 due to a surprising pit stop – and Daniel Suarez, who rely on the crew for tire changing, fueling, and jackman duties. In an interview with WBTV at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ferguson expressed his hopes: “I want to be an inspiration to those that are younger than me who may be in the same situation as myself, never knowing they’re going to join NASCAR.
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“To come and have this opportunity to take care of your family and have a great life as well.”
During his senior year at Middle Tennessee State, Ferguson was a first-team All-CUSA selection. Over his last two seasons, he racked up impressive stats, including 18 sacks, 34.5 tackles for loss, 126 tackles, eight passes defensed, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and one interception.
Back in preseason 2023, Ferguson made three tackles and a sack for the Seahawks. Now, he’s embarked on a new career path, courtesy of the NASCAR diversity program.
NASCAR is ramping up its efforts to embrace inclusivity, introducing a slew of initiatives like paid internships and special tracks designed to groom the next generation of pit crew pros and racecar drivers — and it’s already showing results.
“Without the diversity program, internally, the hiring pool would be a little different,” Kenyatta ‘Kap’ Houston remarked to WBTV.
“Externally, somebody that looks like myself wouldn’t have been exposed to that opportunity of pitting race cars.”.
The NASCAR Cup Series will rev up at Nashville Superspeedway on Sun. June 1.