Fukuda Named IMSA Diverse Driver Scholarship Recipient

Ken Fukuda is 36 but has never given up on his dream to become a professional race car driver. He’s taken a major step in the process today by being named recipient of the IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship for the 2024-25 seasons.

The scholarship rewards a female or member of an ethnic minority classification with a strong desire to compete in IMSA who has logged outstanding race results and/or shown proven on-track potential in junior racing categories, along with the ability to create a compelling strategy to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge or IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.

Among the benefits of the scholarship are a full-season premium prepaid entry fee for 2024 in one of those series and 50 percent of the prepaid entry fee for 2025. Support for the scholarship comes from IMSA and partners Michelin, VP Racing Fuels, OMP, Bell, Recaro and LAT Images.

“I was blown away!” was Fukuda’s reaction when learning he’d been selected among 10 final candidates to receive the third annual scholarship. Past recipients were Jaden Conwright and Courtney Crone.

Crone will continue to receive partial benefits for the 2024 season as part of the two-year program.

“IMSA and all the partners that are involved in the scholarship are just a testament to how special it is,” Fukuda added. “I’m overwhelmed and truly gracious.”

Fukuda said he’s wanted to become a racer since the age of 10 when he spotted an IMSA scale-model car at a shopping mall. Even after graduating from UCLA and joining the Peace Corps, becoming a teacher and principal at a school in Liberia and learning Swahili, the urge to race never went away.

After attempting to kickstart a racing career in Germany and Japan with no success, he pivoted to becoming a mechanic, then a racing instructor and is now a lead instructor for the Skip Barber Racing School.

Fukuda landed a ride last year in the TC Americas series and earned a podium finish at Indianapolis. Now, he’s set his sights on tackling one of IMSA’s series starting next season.

“I know my own journey and I know I belong there,” he said. “I believe I worked harder than anyone else, and whether that’s true or not, I know I did the best I could and know I belong.”

Fukuda also knows that, with the proper work ethic, anyone from any background can follow in his footsteps.

“I do come from a minority, but my thing is regardless of your background, your ethnicity, your culture, social norms you’re raised with or your funding or your age, it doesn’t matter,” he said.

“Racing hasn’t changed. If you love it enough, you’re persistent, you have enough desire and you continue learning from your mistakes and you follow the three keywords that every mentor that I’ve truly, truly respected has said – never give up – anyone can make it.”