Who is Brehanna Daniels, the Trailblazer Female NASCAR Pit Crew Member?

In the world of NASCAR, the likes of Danica Patrick has been a trailblazer for female drivers. Soon, people like Jennifer Jo Cobb, Natalie Decker, and Hailie Deegan also followed her example. However, NASCAR found another trailblazer in its midst, though she operates behind the scenes. That woman is Brehanna Daniels, who works as a pit crew member in the sport.

To make matters even better, she is also the first woman of color to be a NASCAR pit crew member. Speaking to TODAY, she said, “Wednesday morning, I woke up. God told me, ‘Brehanna, you have to go to this NASCAR tryout.’ I was like, ‘You know what? I don’t question that man upstairs.’”

On an interesting note, she had several sporting career options in front of her. Among them, she could have pursued a career as a basketball player, but her heart leaned towards NASCAR. As it turned out, Brehanna Daniels was one of four people and the only woman to attend the NASCAR tryouts. Later on, she attended NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity National Combine in May.

How has Daniels performed in the NASCAR scene?

Coming to her early life, Daniels studied at Norfolk State University. She first joined the NASCAR circus in 2017, along with Breanna O’Leary, being the first female pit crew members. During her career, she worked with Ray Black Jr, and later on with Cody Ware.

In 2019, her big break in the NASCAR Cup Series came and hit her full force. To be precise, she became the first African-American woman to act as a pit crew at the historic Daytona 500 race. Apparently, Daniels took on the role of tire changer for the No. 51 Chevrolet for Rick Ware Racing.

The North Carolina native confessed that there were people who supported her journey, and others who were critics. According to Daniels, there were some people who would think that she would not last long in the demanding sport. The 27-year-old acknowledged that there will be people out there who doubt her abilities. However, she has insisted that she is turning their scorn into motivation to better herself.

READ MORE: 62-Year-Old Derrike Cope Becomes 2nd Oldest NASCAR Driver to Enter the Iconic Daytona 500

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