Former Owl Andre Neblett Finds Career in Racing

PHILADELPHIA -- Former Temple Owl and NFL defensive tackle, Andre Neblett is among 10 people selected in a nationwide search as NASCAR held its first "Drive for Diversity" Pit Crew national combine.

Neblett, who played for Temple from 2006-09, was the school's first three-time All-MAC honoree. He was a captain and defensive MVP as a senior when he collected 43 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, with one sack and one interception. He went on to play in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers from 2010-13.

"So far the program has been awesome," said Neblett. "Since I got here Coach [Phil] Horton has showed me the ins and outs of the sport. I wasn't really aware of how big it is and how much work goes into being a pit crew member. Coach calls it a choreographed dance and it has given me the ability to get back in the zone of being a professional athlete and be competitive again. This is just the beginning and I'm going to have to start at the bottom and work my way up. It will definitely help me appreciate the sport more, I wouldn't change anything else about it."

Eighteen former collegiate athletes from across the country competed to become one step closer to a career in professional sports earning invitations to the first-ever NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew national combine in Concord, North Carolina, May 26-27.

Former college football, basketball, softball and track and field athletes were evaluated by Rev Racing based on a series of fitness, agility and pit crew drills at the NASCAR Research & Development Center.

Participants included fourteen men and six women. Neblett and nine others received offers to relocate to North Carolina and officially train to become masters of pit road.

NASCAR Drive for Diversity (D4D) held scouting events at six universities earlier this year to identify top talent for the development program.

Over 25 D4D graduates competed in a NASCAR national series last season. Of note, two won the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series championship as part of the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing team.

NASCAR Drive for Diversity's (D4D) crew member platform seeks multicultural and female athletes from all sports to train for careers as vital members of a NASCAR pit crew team. Most participants start without a background in motorsports and learn to apply athletic prowess from their primary sport to the skills required on NASCAR's pit road.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, under the leadership of Rev Racing, supports both crew member and driver development opportunities. Driver graduates include Kyle Larson, Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. and Daniel Suarez.

Temple University Athletics

Former Owl Andre Neblett Finds Career in Racing

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