Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia, climbing into his car before Thursday's second qualifying race for Sunday's Daytona 500 Nextel Cup race at Daytona International Speedway, is the most visible newcomer of color to professional motor sports. NASCAR is making a concerted effort to embrace cultural diversity. Photo by The Associated Press

The Great American Race is Sunday, and this year's events around the Daytona 500 will not be as blindingly white as in the past.

NASCAR is starting to win over previously shunned races on the road toward cultural diversity.

The most visible newcomer helping to change the face of NASCAR is Colombia native Juan Pablo Montoya, who has made bilingual interviews commonplace in NASCAR media centers. Before his arrival in Nextel Cup, the only translation needed was for Northerners when a native of Virginia or Alabama was being interviewed.

NASCAR is at least another decade behind the NHRA when it comes to trying to weave itself into America's patchwork quilt of cultures. But the immigration of Montoya into Nextel Cup and Bill Lester's return as the only black driver in the Craftsman Truck Series are solid building blocks for diversity.

Perhaps the biggest stride in race relations this year is ESPN's hiring of former NBA All-Star Brad Daugherty, a black American and lifelong motor sports enthusiast, to serve as co-host of the news and information program "NASCAR Now" and the "NASCAR Busch Series Countdown" pre-race show on ESPN2.

The 7-footer was the first pick in the 1986 NBA Draft when he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers following a stellar career at North Carolina.

Daugherty played in five NBA All-Stars Games but is missing this weekend's showcase in Las Vegas because he's working at Daytona International Speedway. The 41-year-old, whose basketball career was cut short by a back injury, said he wouldn't trade assignments.

And Daugherty is far from a token hire by ESPN.

The former race team owner won races with driver Robert Pressley in Busch and the late Kenny Irwin in trucks.

It isn't a coincidence that his high school and NBA jersey number was 43. Daugherty idolized Richard Petty.

To Daugherty, Petty was a great racer who took time to sign an autograph and talk to him when he was a kid. The biggest impact was made when Petty said he was glad to see him at the track.

Daugherty doesn't rule out returning to a team ownership role at some point, but his focus now is working as host and analyst for NASCAR races and trying to spread the popularity of NASCAR into markets where many have not felt welcome.

"Inclusion was elusive for a while," he said. "It's still way behind.

"There is a cultural thread that runs through (NASCAR racing); it's almost passed down by tradition. That's one of the cultural divides."

Daugherty wants to bridge the gap. He's doing just that, with a starring role in ESPN's coverage of the sport.

• CHEATERS -- NAPA Auto Parts has updated the commercial it has been running with Cup driver Michael Waltrip, whose team was nailed Wednesday for severe rules violations in preparation for the Daytona 500.

The old commercial featured a spelling-bee theme with kids. Waltrip closed by saying "spelling" is one letter away from "selling."

The new version uses the word "heat." Waltrip says, "I'm feeling a lot of heat from Toyota to qualify for Sunday's Daytona 500. Then a NASCAR official walks up and says to the kids, " 'Heat' is one letter away from 'cheat.' "

Of course, I joke.

Gaining an edge in racing always involves getting close to the unapproved line without stepping directly over it. But Waltrip let the line get trampled by his employees, and it's hard to believe he didn't know what was going on.

Waltrip's crew chief and team manager have been suspended indefinitely, the crew chief was fined $100,000 and Waltrip lost 100 championship driver points. His wife, Buffy, listed as "official" owner of the No. 55 car that her hubby drivers, also lost 100 points.

Meanwhile, crew chiefs for Matt Kenseth at Roush Racing and Kasey Kahne at Evernham Motorsports were found to have unapproved modifications to their cars during last weekend's qualifying session. Each crew chief was fined $50,000 and suspended for the year's first four races, while drivers and owners were docked 50 championship points.

The suspensions, fines and points penalties were just. But when a crew chief is suspended from races, he should not be permitted to go to the team's headquarters or communicate in any way with anyone affiliated with the team during the punishment.

Jeff Wolf's motor sports column is published Friday. He can be reached at 383-0247 or jwolf@reviewjournal.com.