MCDONOUGH — Several years ago, Justin Campbell, of Griffin, went to Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Thursday Thunder summer series with his family and became hooked on racing.
After seeing the Bandolero and Legends racecars speed around the quarter-mile track at AMS, he was inspired to get behind the wheel himself.
In 2015, his wish came true as he competed in his first season at Thursday Thunder in the Rookie Bandolero Division and over the next few seasons moved up to Legends cars.
Two years ago, he was named to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program and is in his second season racing Legends cars for the Rev Racing team in Charlotte.
Now, the 16-year-old hopes to inspire other kids to follow their racing dreams.
On Friday, Campbell was part of a special program at the Shaquille O’Neal Boys & Girls Club of Henry County that also included NASCAR Cup driver Daniel Suarez, pit crew member Jeremy Kimbrough and Rev Racing driver Lavar Scott (who competes in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Touring Series).
“Just to give and inspire people to do what I do and what some other people love to do… and that’s racing either be a fan or just race yourself even though it’s very expensive to do,” Campbell said of Friday’s program for the kids. “But with the program I’m in, it gives me the opportunity to compete.”
His advice for kids who want to get into racing?
“Never give up and try your best,” Campbell said. “You’ll make mistakes here and there, but overcome them.”
Kimbrough, who played in the NFL for the Washington Redskins in 2013-14 before getting into NASCAR, benefitted from Boys & Girls Club programs growing up and is now glad to give back.
“I love it,” he said of Friday’s event. “I came through programs like this Boys & Girls Club. I played basketball a little bit in my youth so for me it’s great to come back and just give them an eye opener. It’s not like a stick and ball sport that kids are used to seeing but it’s introducing something new to the kids. I greatly appreciate the chance to do that.”
Kimbrough has been in NASCAR for six years and is in his first year with Trackhouse Racing and Daniel Suarez, who recently won his first race at Sonoma Raceway.
“I love it,” Kimbrough said. “I’m glad to be a part of the team, to be able to compete every Sunday and this is the best Daniel’s been driving so far and I can tell he’s loving the environment and vice versa for us as well so it’s just a great environment to come in and work and compete and to be able to execute on the weekends. It’s making it a fun place to go to work.”
The Boys & Girls Club of America is an official Youth Partner of NASCAR and one of the reasons for Friday’s event is to give students a behind-the-scenes look at NASCAR and to let them see various career opportunities in NASCAR
Atlanta Motor Speedway is one of 17 tracks the Boys & Girls Club is partnering with and on Sunday, about 20 students from the Boys & Girls Club of Henry County will be given a tour of AMS.
The Boys & Girls Club racecar will also be at the AMS Fan Zone both Saturday and Sunday.
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