A milestone in motorsports
Camilla Bowens‑Wilkins, a senior at Louisiana State University, entered the NASCAR NEXT internship program in the summer of 2025, a ten‑week immersive experience designed to cultivate the next generation of industry leaders.
During the internship she was tasked with creating a show car that would bear the branding of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the historic Black women’s organization founded during the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Her design incorporated the sorority’s torch of wisdom, marrying the group’s legacy of wisdom and activism with the high‑speed aesthetic of NASCAR.
The finished vehicle made its debut at the 2026 South Atlantic Regional Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a crowd of sorors gathered to capture the moment, unaware that the student behind the artwork was standing among them.
Bowens‑Wilkins credits her fascination with racing to her father’s enthusiasm and countless viewings of the Pixar film *Cars* as a child, a passion that guided her toward a career that bridges sports administration and automotive culture.
The project also allowed her to reflect on the under‑representation of Black athletes in motorsport, citing trailblazers such as Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace as inspirations that underscore the importance of diverse role models.
Beyond the design, her journey is intertwined with activism; she participated in the 2020 protests advocating for racial justice, aligning her personal advocacy with the sorority’s tradition of social engagement, and reinforcing the message that representation matters on and off the track.