AVONDALE, Ariz. — Latasha Causey wasn't a NASCAR fan growing up, which is strange because now it's her job.
"I always wanted to know like what it was about," Causey said. "NASCAR just wasn't necessarily our thing when I was growing up.”
Causey grew up in the west Valley knowing about Phoenix Raceway but never visiting it. She only started becoming a NASCAR fan six years ago.
Tuesday afternoon Phoenix Raceway announced she was the new track president. The raceway said she is the first African-American female track president in NASCAR history.
"I got to know what was going on here at NASCAR and found out how incredible the experience is, how incredible the community is," she said.
She takes over Phoenix Raceway at a time when NASCAR is going through massive changes in inclusion, diversity and reputation.
NASCAR only banned the Confederate flag, which is widely seen as a racist symbol, in 2020. But the last two years have also shown the league trying to change its image.
“20 years ago, would I have seen myself in this position?" Causey said, "No, because I never saw anyone in this position like myself.”
“I will tell you when you walk around here, it's starting to look different it does look different," she said.
Causey's first weekend as the announced next head of the track is the biggest in the NASCAR season. The NASCAR Cup Series Championship will be at Phoenix Raceway this weekend.
An estimated 51,000 people will be at the sold-out race, with thousands more in the camping areas.
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