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.

The plan was to fix the primary car.

By far the fastest in practice, Ross Chastain completed 20 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway when the left rear tire went down. Chastain couldn’t save his Chevrolet, and it spun and hit the wall, driver’s side, in Turn 3. Once the machine was back in the garage, crew chief Phil Surgen and the team began their analysis on what was bent, broken and needed and to be replaced.

But approximately an hour to an hour and a half into that venture, the plan changed.

“As we started pulling parts off, it just became more evident that there was a section of the rear frame that was bent probably beyond repair,” Surgen said. “Then at that moment, it became a necessity to get to a backup car… Although it took a long time to identify, by the time we got all the parts and the car disassembled to the point where we could fully see all the damage, it was evident that we needed to go to a backup car.”

Chastain did not make a qualifying run because of the crash. His official listed starting position was 40th, last, for the Coca-Cola 600.

“When we wrecked this car on Saturday, I was sitting there at the car in the garage, and they were pulling parts off it, and Ross left the infield care center and walked up to the car and he had a huge smile on his face,” Justin Marks said. “He was like, ‘I know this sucks, but that’s what I’m talking about. Bringing cars to the racetrack like that. That’s what I’m talking about.’ He was just super pumped.”

Trackhouse originally planned to fix Chastain’s primary car after his Friday crash – until they saw the full extent of the damage. Logan Riely/Getty Images

Trackhouse Racing went back to its shop located 5.3 miles from the racetrack and worked until 2:30 a.m. on the backup car. Surgen said there were about 30 team members who came in to work. Some left events they were at, such as concerts and ball games, to show up.

Chastain arrived after finishing his appearance in the radio booth for the Xfinity Series race (where he was when he learned the team was going to a backup car), and stayed until about 10 p.m. when he was sent home under orders of competition director Tony Lunders to get some sleep. The first group of team members to arrive back at the shop did so at 5:30 a.m. ET. 

Once completed, the No. 1 Chevrolet arrived back at the speedway for inspection. The garage opened at 2 p.m. ET. The green flag for NASCAR’s longest race flew at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET.

And in the end, just before 11 p.m. ET., it was Chastain, Surgen – who had about two and a half hours of sleep – and the No. 1 team in victory lane. The first win for Chastain in a crown jewel event, and puts he and the team back in the postseason for the first time since 2023.

“With the Next car and with any race car the baseline that we established in practice, we take meticulous notes and measurements on every part and piece of that car in order to be able to replicate it,” Surgen said of making the backup car as good as the primary car was before the crash. “We have meticulous notes that we can take from this car today and apply to Nashville or to Michigan. So, that knowledge of what we had on the track on Saturday, what that setup was, what that configuration was and knowing that that was fast and competitive, and the conditions on Saturday, we took all that knowledge and applied it to Sunday. 

“We made some small adjustments for weather conditions, longer runners, and were able to put it together pretty well.”

Chastain became the first driver since Bobby Allison (Richmond Fairgrounds, 1969) to win from an official starting position of last.

NASCAR is expanding the starting lineup for the Xfinity Series race in Mexico City from 38 to 40 cars. However, the two added vehicles won’t qualify for certain winnings, points, or playoff benefits, which raises questions about the inclusion’s value. This decision intends to accommodate additional teams, especially those bringing local Mexican drivers, ensuring local representation in the race. The ultimate goal is to foster business relationships while ensuring participant engagement in this international event.

By the Numbers

• Starting lineup increases from 38 to 40 cars for the upcoming race.
• $40-$50,000 estimated investment needed for each team to participate in the event.

Yes, But

While the expanded lineup aims to promote local drivers and increase participation, teams entering through additional spots may miss out on vital financial incentives and points traditionally tied to race outcomes, raising concerns about the effectiveness of this model.

State of Play

• The upcoming race will take place at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
• NASCAR aims to enhance attendance and visibility by allowing more competitors.

What’s Next

Future races may see similar expansions depending on the level of interest and local involvement, impacting the overall race strategy and sponsorship dynamics within the Xfinity Series.

Bottom Line

NASCAR’s lineup expansion, while promoting local representation, requires balancing financial viability for teams. Understanding the nuances of points and rewards will be crucial for future participations in high-stakes international events.