NASCAR debuts first Delta Sigma Theta show car designed by one of the sorority’s own
TheGrio...
The crimson-and-cream vehicle, created by LSU student and NASCAR intern Camilla Wilkins-Bowens, made its first appearance during the sorority’s regional conference in Charlotte.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. rolled into Charlotte with plenty of horsepower this summer.
NASCAR unveiled its first-ever show car branded for the historic Black sorority during Delta Sigma Theta’s 32nd South Atlantic Regional Conference, held from July 30 through Aug. 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The crimson-and-cream design was more than a nod to one of the nation’s most prominent Black Greek-letter organizations. It was also the work of one of Delta’s own.
Camilla Wilkins-Bowens, a Louisiana State University student and NASCAR NEXT intern, designed the custom vehicle. Wilkins-Bowens was initiated into the Iota Theta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta in fall 2025, according to Watch The Yard.
The vehicle featured the sorority’s name and Greek letters prominently across its body, transforming a familiar symbol of NASCAR culture into a celebration of sisterhood, service and Black collegiate tradition.
Although the car was not entered into a race, its debut represented NASCAR’s first show-car activation created specifically for a Divine Nine organization. Conference attendees were able to view the customized vehicle and try NASCAR racing simulators as part of the interactive experience.
For Wilkins-Bowens, the assignment brought together multiple parts of her identity and professional journey. As both a collegiate member of Delta Sigma Theta and an intern working within NASCAR, she had the opportunity to introduce the sorority to a major sports organization through her own creative work.
NASCAR describes its NEXT Internship Program as an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to gain experience while helping shape the future of sports and entertainment.
That kind of access matters in an industry where Black professionals have historically been underrepresented both behind the scenes and on the track.
NASCAR has operated student and career-development initiatives for more than two decades in an effort to expand pathways into motorsports. Its former NASCAR Diversity Internship Program, launched in 2000, had introduced more than 500 college students to the industry by 2023. Participants have worked with NASCAR as well as teams and organizations including 23XI Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske and Rev Racing.
Those programs have helped expose students to careers far beyond driving, including opportunities in marketing, communications, engineering, production, event operations and business development.
The Delta Sigma Theta car showed what can happen when one of those students is trusted to create something connected to her own community.
Founded in 1913 at Howard University, Delta Sigma Theta has long centered public service, educational advancement and civic engagement. Its South Atlantic Region includes chapters throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Bermuda.
Thousands of sorority members traveled to Charlotte for the biennial regional conference, placing Wilkins-Bowens’ design before an audience uniquely positioned to appreciate both its symbolism and the young woman behind it.
The activation also offered NASCAR an opportunity to reach Black women through a partnership rooted in culture rather than simply placing a logo on a product. By allowing a Delta member to design the car herself, the organization put authenticity at the center of the moment.
For Wilkins-Bowens, seeing her design displayed during one of her sorority’s largest regional gatherings was an early professional achievement few college students can claim.
And for the Deltas gathered in Charlotte, the custom car provided one more reason to paint the Queen City crimson and cream.