Asphalt dreams: Local student aspires to drive through NASCAR program

Jefferson City High School student Ryu Taggart speaks Wednesday at a press conference, flanked by his father, Jeff, at Prison Brews to announce his intent to compete for a spot in NASCAR's Drive for Diversity Program. Taggart was selected as one of 12 drivers from across the U.S.
Jefferson City High School student Ryu Taggart speaks Wednesday at a press conference, flanked by his father, Jeff, at Prison Brews to announce his intent to compete for a spot in NASCAR's Drive for Diversity Program. Taggart was selected as one of 12 drivers from across the U.S.

Ryu Taggart sat in a Diamond Pet Foods racing suit in front of bright lights and cameras during a news conference Wednesday at Prison Brews and practiced.

NASCAR selected Taggart and 11 other drivers to participate in its Drive for Diversity Program and compete for a full-time ride in one of its minor leagues. As Taggart prepares to head to Florida and get what he hopes will be his big break, his supporters said they hope by the time he gets there, Taggart will be a marketable, media darling.

"Driving talent is 25 percent of what they're going to be doing," said Brennon Willard with Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

NASCAR Monster Energy Cup team owner Joe Gibbs created the Drive For Diversity program in 2003 as a way to get more minority and female drivers into the sport. A year later, NASCAR took over the program. Since then, the program helped black driver Bubba Wallace Jr.; Kyle Larson, whose mother is Japanese-American; and Daniel Suarez, NASCAR's first full-time Hispanic driver, reach its Cup level.

Taggart and his supporters said they hope participating in the Drive for Diversity program will help the 17-year-old continue a quick rise to fame.

A native of Okinawa, Japan, Taggart gravitated toward racing early in childhood. Only one racetrack existed on the island, but Taggart's father, Jeff, and his mom drove the boy on go-karts.

Taggart's father worked several jobs for the U.S. Navy in Okinawa for 25 years. A Jefferson City native, Jeff said he and his son moved to Jefferson City in 2016 so he could care for his ailing mother, and so Taggart could pursue his racing dreams.

"I'm just really proud of Ryu," his father said. "Even before he made it into this program, I've been very proud of him growing up."

Taggart's racing career in the U.S. started in modest fashion. As a 16-year-old in 2017, he raced at Lake Ozarks Speedway in Eldon, a 1/3-mile dirt-track.

Reid Millard, owner of Millard Family Chapels and the regional Millard Family Racing team, saw talent in Taggart even before he moved to the U.S., Taggart's father said. Millard said Wednesday he wanted to get Taggart in a car on asphalt so he could begin his ascent toward NASCAR's three National Series.

The teenager quickly proved himself at Lebanon I-44 Speedway while racing in the Pro Late Model Championship, where he finished fourth and won the series' rookie-of-the-year award.

Willard said current and former NASCAR Cup level drivers like Joplin-native Jamie McMurray, Columbia-native Carl Edwards and Chase Elliott built their careers by racing at Lebanon I-44.

"The number one goal was to get him on asphalt," Willard said. "Ryu is a very hardworking kid."

More than 400 drivers from across the U.S. applied this year for the diversity program. NASCAR selected 12, including Taggart, to compete for four full-time spots in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. On Monday, the drivers will be put through mock radio and TV interviews, a mock-press conference, cognitive tests and physical tests at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. On Tuesday, the drivers will drive in two on-track tests at nearby New Smyrna Speedway in eastern Florida.

Taggart hopes the opportunity will launch him into NASCAR's minor leagues.

"We're just trying to work our way up into NASCAR," Taggart said.

The K&N Pro Series East is a regional series that holds races at tracks in the eastern-half of the United States like Bristol Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The four drivers selected from the Drive for Diversity tryout will move to Mooresville, North Carolina, and be placed on fully-funded teams. Fully-funding a K&N Series team costs about $750,000, Willard said.

If Taggart fails to land a spot among the four chosen for the K&N Series, he does not plan to give up on his dream. He plans to drive at Lebanon I-44 again if he misses the cut this year, and he wants to try to make the Drive for Diversity Program again if needed.

Taggart also is considering attending the Lincoln College of Technology in Indianapolis where he may enroll in an automotive program.

Willard said Taggart's future will remain bright, even if he misses out on the final-four spots.

"It's unusual to have success in your rookie year," Willard said. "I thought it would take two to three years for him to do as well as he did."

With his big break sitting so close, Taggert remains confident he can reach NASCAR's National Series.

"It's going to be a challenge, but anything is possible," he said.