NASCAR Driver -- Gunning to Race 'Blackfish' Car ... At Talladega

ARCA could go ORCA at the Talladega Superspeedway ... because one of the drivers is trying to raise $115k to get behind the wheel of a "Blackfish" car at a race in May ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We spoke to Leilani Munter -- one of the Top 10 female drivers in the world -- who tells us she was so moved by the documentary, she wants to do everything in her power to spread awareness about the plight of killer whales in captivity.

"I believe that it is a crime for these magnificent, intelligent, and socially complex creatures to be forced to live in tiny concrete tanks," Leilani says.

And her first order of business is wrapping a car in a custom "Blackfish" design to race at an ARCA event at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3rd. The only catch -- it's expensive.

Leilani tells TMZ Sports she needs to raise $115k for the cost of the car so she can enter the race ... which she's doing in part with the Oceanic Preservation Society, the people behind the documentary, "The Cove."