NATCHEZ — Former Alcorn State basketball guard Jerick Newsome was selected to participate in the Drive for Diversity (D4D) Pit Crew Development program later this year.

Newsome was one of seven former athletes from schools such as Bethune-Cookman University, North Carolina A&T Univeristy and Virginia State University to be chosen for the program. The former Brave earned an invite after competing at the NASCAR D4D National Pit Crew Combine in May in Concrod, North Carolina.

The program gives Newsome the opportunity to train as a pit crew member with Rev Racing. Three D4D alumni — Raphael Diaz, Kevin Richardson and Mike Russell — helped Roush Fenway Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Speedway in 2017.

Newsome was the only Brave to be selected for this year’s program, though former Alcorn athletes Jordan Boyd, Justin Boyd and Tori Spann also competed at the national combine.