DOVER, Del. — Dystany Spurlock’s NASCAR debut came to an early end Friday, but the 34-year-old Virginia native still made history as the first Black woman to compete in one of NASCAR’s national series.Spurlock made it 36 laps before losing control of her No. 69 Truck at Dover Motor Speedway when another driver’s air caused her vehicle to become loose off Turn 2. Spurlock tried to correct course and nearly saved it, but she ultimately crashed headfirst into the outside wall and destroyed the front end, finishing 36th.Despite the setback, Spurlock — a former high school football player, ex-Delta Airlines flight attendant and motorcycle racer — was upbeat after her first laps in NASCAR.“Today was a great day,” she said. “We did make history, which is phenomenal. Of course, I wanted to finish the race, but it’s racing. Things like this happen. I did everything I could to my ability. Just going to get ready for the next race.”
Here’s @DystanySpurlock after her Truck debut ends early with a crash. She became the first Black woman to race in NASCAR today. pic.twitter.com/cU2gDvoFgi
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) May 15, 2026Spurlock’s day started on a bad note. Since her MBM Motorsports team failed an initial pre-race inspection Thursday, she was docked 20 minutes of practice time — a painful setback for a rookie driver who needs all the laps she can get. Then, when Spurlock did get onto the track, her Truck shut off twice with electrical issues.
