In celebration of Black History Month, 12News highlights Valley local Latasha Causey, who has made history as the first Black female track president in NASCAR.
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Latasha Causey, who leads Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, never imagined entering motorsports despite growing up just miles from the track. “I’m born and raised here, and didn’t come to the raceway until I was an adult,” Causey told 12 News anchor Caribe Devine.
With a master’s degree in Human Resources and two decades of leadership experience in banking, insurance, and nonprofits, Causey’s strong business acumen and community connections caught the attention of former track president Julie Giese. In 2022, Causey accepted the challenge to transition into racing.
“If you’re not taking risks or taking on opportunities that scare you, then you’re probably not in the right role,” Causey said. “You’ve gotten comfortable. So get out of your comfort zone.”
Since taking the helm, Causey has prioritized diversity and inclusivity in motorsports, focusing on engaging communities that lack exposure to the sport. For Arizona’s large Latino population, she’s implementing innovative outreach programs.
“We have our race coming up in March, and we’ll have a STEM Day where we’ll have almost 500 kids from Title One schools participate,” Causey explained. “The Raceway is their playground for the day. All of those kids will receive tickets to come back to our race on Saturday with an adult so they can experience it.”
Her efforts align with NASCAR’s broader “Drive for Diversity Program,” which has been working for two decades to broaden the sport’s fan base. The program has supported drivers like Bubba Wallace, the first African American to win a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and newcomers Raja Caruth and Levar Scott.
“When you’re out there, you see a lot of pit crew members. Majority of the pit crew members are probably Black,” Causey noted.
Under her leadership, Phoenix Raceway has seen sold-out races for the first time in a decade. She’s also focused on attracting visitors outside of race days, hosting approximately 200 events at the raceway annually.
“While our bread and butter is NASCAR racing, we also rent out the raceway. We have tons of acres of land out here. We do multiple things, like concerts, corporate business meetings. We’re going to have a couple of proms coming up here,” she said.
As a trailblazer, Causey feels an obligation to ensure she’s not the last to break barriers. She encourages others, especially in the Black community, to build strong relationships and seek support.
“Sometimes us, especially in the Black community, we never really ask for help or use our network. We always have it, which we do. But we also need help and we need support,” she advised.
Her message to those following in her footsteps is clear: “Don’t apologize for who you are. If you work for it, you deserve it. Take it and run with it.”
Beyond her professional accomplishments, the wife and mother of two teenagers hopes her legacy extends to raising “really good humans” and being someone who collaborated with others and amplified underrepresented voices.
“I want my boys to be proud of their mom and proud of the things that I have done for them, as well as other people,” Causey said.
NASCAR fans can experience Phoenix Raceway during the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series and XFinity races on March 8-9 in Avondale.
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