Welcome to Off the Racing Line.
>> All right, we’re back at Homestead Miami
Speedway with Mike Moore and Jim Drago.
How do you like How do you like the
setup?
>> Love it. Two of my cars I built.
>> Yeah, we’re going to get into that. Let
me do a proper introduction because
>> you’re probably a man that does not need
an introduction, but here we go. Anyway,
our guest today is an absolute legend in
the Spec Meata world. A man whose name
alone raises eyebrows in the paddic.
With 13 national championships to his
name, he’s one of the winningest drivers
in SM history. Rivals don’t just respect
him, they fear how relentlessly
consistent he is. He’s the owner of East
Street Racing, the powerhouse behind
some of the fastest and most dialedin
spec Miatas in the country. Known for
his precision under pressure, and his
deep technical understanding, he’s not
just a driver. He’s a developer, a
builder, and probably my favorite line
of this is that you are a racer’s racer.
You are a Spec Miata. You are to Spec
Miata.
Um, what Rick Hendrick is to NASCAR.
Chad GPT helped me write some of this.
>> Do you agree with all of this, by the
way?
>> I don’t know. Rick Hendrick seems to be
doing a lot better than me. I picked the
wrong class. And today he’s here with us
flying in from Memphis, Tennessee to
escape the winter cold and hang out with
us Florida boys here in Miami, Jim
Drago.
>> Yeah, thank you.
>> Good to have you, man.
>> Glad to be here. I have been looking
forward to chatting with you for uh
since I started doing my research on you
on you. Um I I’m not a a big SM, you
know, follower. I don’t know, you know,
the the class very well. So when I
started doing research on you, I was
amazed on all your accomplishments. Um
I wanted to give you a heads up before
we started recording and then we started
recording and um so I’m just going to
wing it.
>> Yeah.
>> And hopefully it’s okay with you.
>> That’s fine. I want to start, you had a
long long history,
>> right?
>> I want to start closer to the end.
>> Okay.
>> Um 2024 SECA runoffs in Road America.
You survived one of the SECA’s probably
one of their worst wrecks in history.
Let’s start there. What do you remember
moments before that happened?
>> Um I remember it pretty well. it was
qualifying. So, it’s a lot of kind of a
back and forth with getting getting
situated in order and people wanting to
draft and this and that and the way they
had it set up. We um we’re starting our
hotlap right after the kink, which you
know, hindsight being 2020 wasn’t a very
good idea. So when we finally got around
to start our hot lap and we’re also on
um the first time with the um the
flagronic so you couldn’t get over 40
miles an hour and it was a little cold
so no one really got their tires up to
temp. And when we finally decided to
just go because everybody was playing
games going slow and this and that tires
definitely weren’t up to temp. We went
through the kink and my car stepped out
a little sideways and we had a teammate
right behind me where inspect me a were
obviously drafting so right
>> Nick was right behind me so as my car
moved there was no way where he couldn’t
get into the back of me so would
probably could have been something off
and on pretty easily if if we weren’t in
qualifying situation ended up being
where I just got sideways we kept it off
the wall backed it all the way down the
uh track and didn’t hit anything but I
came to a stop And the Miatas a lot of
times when you stop them they shut off.
So I was going to start the car and
that’s really the last thing I remember
because when I spun they’ve had this
problem with the the dust for a while.
They actually fixed that corner but they
still have it in other corners. So there
was immense dust cloud where you could
not see through it. So the first three
or four cars slowed down and went past
me and then um Danny and Chuck came
through and soon as they got through
they went through wide open because it
was qualifying. Figured there had been
dust before, right?
>> Probably nothing there and there was no
yellow flag.
>> So they came through and Danny was doing
120 mph. He saw um one car right in
front of me and or right to the side
that slowed down. He jerked the wheel to
miss that car. He never even saw me. So
he hit me head on at 120 mph and I was
dead stop.
>> Goodness.
>> The last thing I remember is going to
start the key.
>> Yeah.
>> And then
>> and then everything went black.
>> Yeah. I don’t I don’t really went black
or I just don’t remember anything after
that. And then I do remember I had a
really good car for that runoffs and I
was really thinking, man, we get through
this qualifying anywhere near the front.
We’re going to win this thing. I felt
really good about it. So, I remember the
first thing I kind of remember after
going to start the car is the the MTS
being there and um them cutting. You
know, I heard the jaws of life and I own
an auto salvage yard, so I know what
those sounds are. I know what those
noises are.
>> You’re probably thinking, “This is not
good.”
>> The first thing, no, I wasn’t. The first
thing I was thinking is, “Don’t cut my
car.” So, I I remembered vividly. I I
said to myself, “Do not cut my car.” But
I didn’t say it out loud. As I was about
to get those words out of my mouth,
>> I said, “Man, if they’re cutting this
car, it’s got to be a lot worse than I
think. I better just be quiet.”
>> But then I’ve since heard that I did
tell them while they were cutting. I was
like, “Don’t cut the hard top.” So, you
know, the hard tops are so hard to find
in Spect and they’re expensive. So, I
don’t remember saying that, but I
guarantee you that’s something I would
say.
>> Let’s talk uh let’s talk about the
aftermath. Okay.
>> Um because I think it’s crucial to the
story and the point that I want to make
later on. You went through ICU
surgeries.
There was an amputation conversation.
What was the lowest point?
>> Um, I’ll be honest with you. Um, I never
got very low. Uh, and like I go back now
and like all my Facebook posts and I
laugh because I’m like, “Okay, I’m going
to get this done. Another four or five
weeks I should be good.” I mean, I had
already planned to race last April and I
kept getting pushed off. Kept getting
pushed off. But um I mean just just to
kind of I guess put some order to this.
So when I got to the hospital, they took
me to the local hospital first and soon
as I got there, I think they gave me
some blood and immediately put me on the
chopper to go to um to Milwaukee to the
trauma center. So we were fortunate that
they had a level one trauma center so
close. And ironically, we had gone on an
Alaskan cruise about maybe 3 or 4 weeks
before that. And my wife wanted to go on
to these glaciers. you have to take a
helicopter. Absolutely not. There’s no
way I’m getting in a helicopter. And I
remember as they were wheeling me into
this little drawer in that helicopter
saying, “Oh, good lord. I don’t want to
get on this helicopter.”
>> But anyway, so that was my first and
hopefully last trip on a helicopter.
>> And um we got to Milwaukee and uh you
know, I I don’t remember a whole lot. I
don’t really really ever remember being
even in a lot of pain, which is kind of
crazy, but
>> it’s probably a blessing. They they ask
you a lot of questions and ironically I
was right in one room here and Danny was
in the other room and there was a
divider right between us and mutual
friends were in there and they said hey
I know you know this guy you guys cannot
be talking with hypn laws and everything
else and my friend has since told me
he’s like Jim he goes when they brought
you in there it’s all kinds of crazy
announcements like we thought you were
in bad shape you were going to die and
then he goes then they were asking you
questions it’s like he sounds completely
normal so I don’t remember a lot of that
I do remember them asking me the
questions. Do you know what day it is?
All that kind of stuff.
>> Yeah.
>> So anyway, then we got into the hospital
and um it just seemed like every time I
got back to the room, they were wheeling
me for another surgery. So what ended up
happening was I broke my left foot
pretty badly. I broke my right foot
really bad. It was the completely
shattered my uh heelbone and broke a
couple bones there. I broke my pelvis in
multiple spots and nine ribs, my
sternum, collarbone, uh compression
fracture on my L1 vertebrae. And the
funny thing is they told me I didn’t
have a concussion, which I laughed cuz I
knew I had a concussion. I was dizzy in
the hospital for like 3 weeks,
>> right?
>> So I went in for the first surgery,
first day for like immediate surgery.
They did my pelvis, put some pins in my
right foot and just kind of stabilized
it. And that’s when they had come back
and they basically told us, you know,
your right foot is really bad injury.
And we say really bad, 50% of the time
it ends up really badly where meaning
amputation. So I was cool, we’ll just
play it by ear. So we did that and um
from there, you know, they said, “Well,
your left foot, we casted it. It’s got a
break in it, but it’s not really bad.”
And I remember them saying, you know,
you should be able to do this and that
with your left foot and crutch. I’m
like, “Guys,” I said, “I’ve broken my
feet before.” I said, “There’s no way
I’m putting any weight on this left
foot.”
>> Then they took me in for another CT
scan. Next day I went in for surgery for
that foot and they put pins into that
foot and they did my collar bone.
>> Then I was there for a while um from
that. But um I I was in that hospital
for about four or five weeks and then
they moved me. It’s a big problem to get
into like any rehab because they most
rehabs they don’t want somebody that you
know can’t move and I literally could
not move like was two legs like pelvis I
was you know bedridden pretty much at
that point
>> and um they finally took me to the their
their version of the um rehab hospital
which they bought a cardiac hospital and
converted it to a state-of-the-art rehab
place so we’re in the best possible
place. I spent about a week to 10 days
there and um the biggest thing I guess I
don’t know if it was the back or the
pelvis but I could not sit up for more
than about two or three minutes for like
a few weeks and then finally I get up to
like eight minutes and like even to get
in the chair it was it was painful. So
when it got time to go home we were
really in a quandry as what I was going
to do because I could not sit on a
commercial plane. I couldn’t get my feet
in there for one and I could not sit up
that long. So, um, we thought all these
different ways to take a train and have
a lay down bed and we’re going to rent
an RV and figure this and that. And I’ll
tell you, I’ve got some of the best
friends imaginable. It choked me up as
it still, but my friends got together
and chartered me a private jet to come
home.
>> Wow.
>> And uh, you know, and I had said to them
at the time, I was like, “Hey, I don’t
want you to do this.” And they also,
“We’re not asking.”
>> Is that so you could lay down?
>> Yeah. So, it’s the first time I was ever
in a private jet and it’s that’s the
only way to fly to be honest with you,
but
>> wish it was better circumstances. You
didn’t get
>> I was able to kind of lay down and you
know, we got home in like a record time.
We pulled up to the plane with the car
car pulled up to the plane at the house
and then um
>> then we got home and then uh once we got
home it was a it was a long process
because wheelchair for a long time
couldn’t get around and my poor wife
Allison is there. She she’d been through
probably more than I was with this. It
was just a lot. Especially she saw me at
the accident. She saw them cutting me
out of the car. So, it was very tough on
her.
>> But, um, you know, I had thankfully have
really good family. My my my extended
family, my brothers and sisters,
>> my kids. There was never a day that
somebody was not coming and helping and
taking care of it. So, everybody just
made it easy. And, um, you know, I felt
like I tried to keep a pretty positive
attitude. And everyone who’s talked to
me is like I cannot believe the way that
you know like I’ve never been a a
complainer or whiner. I’m like here’s
where we are now. We need to move to the
next place and see it is what it is.
That doesn’t help anything you know
complaining about it. So
>> So let me ask you this. This is uh 2024.
>> Mhm.
>> You haven’t raced since.
>> Have not.
>> What made you decide I’m not ending my
career like this?
You know, that’s uh a lot of my family,
pretty much all my family with the
exception of my wife and kids have no
idea I’m racing this weekend.
>> What? And
>> they don’t know.
>> They don’t they know I’ve told them that
I’m going to come back to be racing. But
they’re all, you know, obviously very
>> very cautious and you know, they said,
“What are you thinking? You know, you’ve
accomplished everything you want to do.”
And and my what I have told my wife and
what I truly feel is I’m going to go
tomorrow. I’m going to do the test day.
can’t plan on doing the whole weekend
and you know see how it goes. But I said
my whole thing is this is a sport that
I’ve loved for 23 years and I don’t want
my last memory to be getting taken out
in an ambulance. So I don’t know. I may
do two, three, four races. I might race
for a couple more years. I don’t know.
But I will uh I’m definitely not going
to let that be my last race, you know.
So we’ll see how it goes.
>> I did do a a private test day just to
see how I could do with the car because
my right foot the toes are still very
numb. So, some certain things are
certain different uh threshold braking,
it’s not really a problem, but little
things like shifting sometimes like I
didn’t really catch my toe on the on the
pedal. I if you hear hear the revs or uh
soft braking with my right foot, it’s
got to be left foot all the time now,
which I left foot break, but not as much
as I I will have to now with that. But
any hard breaking was not a problem.
Just just a light touch because
>> it could be a stab or it could be no
break and it’s hard for me to
distinguish. But
>> so with such a long
>> with such a long career as the one that
you have had and I’m sure that this was
not your first wreck, probably your
worst.
>> Yeah.
>> Did anything change with you as as a
racer after this?
>> You know, it’s hard to say. I don’t
know. You know, and that’s the honest
answer. I don’t I don’t know. Um and
I’ve talked to my good friends like Todd
and my wife and other people. If I get
in the car and I’m very apprehensive or
every time I see a brake lock up, I’m
instantly on the brake or I’m hesitating
and I’m basically scared or just really
sketchy about it, I won’t race because I
think that’s a good way to get yourself
hurt.
>> I don’t think I’m going to be that way,
but you, you know, you really won’t know
until you get in the car and you get
into race situations.
>> So, I’m going to take this weekend slow
and see how it goes.
>> So, speaking of this weekend, you’re
here with us at Homestead Miami Speedway
with Far,
>> right? What made you decide to do your
big comeback, maybe not so big, more
secretly now
>> with Far?
>> Well, Todd is a co-owner now. He’s been
good friend for 25 years. And um I told
him I would do one of these races
forever. Yeah.
>> And we typically
>> This is your first Far Really?
>> Yeah, for sure.
>> So, it’s far for us. So, you know, I
wanted to to support Todd in the series,
but it isn’t a big event for us to come
all the way from there. Sure. So we
typically start our year every year at
the SECA and Homestead and then um you
know the Sebring Racer back to back the
winter vacation. So this really worked
out perfect because I’ll come here I’ll
know right away how I’m going to do and
also Homestead is uh probably a good
track for it’s pretty safe. There’s
nothing a lot of runoff room.
>> It’s not Sebring.
>> It’s not Sebring. It’s not a lot of uh
you know on and off the gas. It’s you
know it should be easier for me to drive
this track than it will be sebring.
>> How are you feeling? Are are you feeling
nervous at all or anxious or just kind
of like let’s see what happens?
>> Um to be honest, I think I’m surely I’ll
be nervous when I get in the car and I’m
thinking about it. But
>> I I honestly think that once I get in
the car and I run a few laps,
>> I hope and feel that it’s going to kind
of seem normal
>> and then I’ll just have to get used to
my foot and my braking. And being out
even even if I had no injury, being out
of the car for almost a year and a half
is is an issue, especially, you know,
I’m going to be 59 next week or this
weekend. So,
>> well, happy birthday.
>> You and David, it’s everybody’s
birthday.
>> Yeah.
>> Your birthday today?
>> Uh, Saturday.
>> Oh,
>> close enough.
>> Yeah.
>> Happy birthday.
>> Thank you.
>> Let’s uh move to a new segment. I call
this the legend behind the wheel.
>> Okay.
>> 13 national championships. How is that
possible?
>> 13 as a as a owner builder. Yes. You
know, I I have
>> You’re responsible for that.
>> Well, you know, the thing with the car
building is um I started Race Inspect
Miat. built my own car just because we
had the the salvage yard and had parts
and built cars and worked on cars my
whole life and then I just kind of fell
into building the cars. We built my car
and some someone down in Florida said,
“Would you build me a car?” I’m like,
“Yeah, I guess so.” And that one car led
to another and then I became, you know,
was friends with Todd at the point and I
just started building really nice cars.
So people started getting them, you
know, and asking me to build their cars.
And then we uh, you know, we also were
very fortunate to have some of my best
friends are some of the best drivers in
the country and especially Inspector
Miata,
>> right? So, you know, between Todd and
Preston and Nick Brun and um my former
teammate Craig Barry, my one good friend
Eric Eric Sterns, there’s a lot of guys
who, you know, the combination of good
talented drivers and very well-built
cars win championships, you know, and
the best thing that I’ I’ve always felt
about our team is it’s always been small
and it’s always been friends going to
the racetrack together. It wasn’t like,
you know, it was never forced or
anything, so it’s always been a lot of
fun.
Um, how did Spec Miata become your
proving ground?
>> You know, kind of by accident. Um, like
I said, we we were doing DE’s, which I
mentioned before the podcast. I did
these for five or six years at least.
No, probably like six or eight years.
And um, there was Jim Daniels who
started Spec Miata. Actually had a shop
at a friend of mine and he was building
these Miatas. I was like tearing up
these beautiful cars and you know,
>> what were you driving in the And
>> I was doing I still have it. I have a 93
RX7 and then I had an NSX for a while. I
kept the RX7 still
>> and um I just kept looking at those
cars. I’m like, man, you’re taking a
$15,000 car at the time and destroy not
worth $10,000 or $5,000.
>> So we, you know, we just started. I
said, so I talked to a couple of my
friends who were also Sterns was doing
D’s. My buddy Dave Stewart was doing
D’s.
>> I said, “You want to build one of these
things? We’ll just see how it goes. If
we like it, we’ll do it.” He’s like,
“Yeah.” So we built one and we went to a
it was a Porsche Club event or something
at Barber. And this is, you know, this
is going way back. This is probably
2002, you know, and cell phone coverage
wasn’t good. And I remember calling
Daniels at the time. And, you know, I
ran the hell out of that car. And I
mean, I was passing everybody in those
D’s, you know, you feel like a D
champion, but I was in the auto passing
all these people. Yeah.
>> So, I’m like, I don’t know where I am,
but I got to be pretty damn close, you
know?
>> So, I remember calling him and with all
the static and stuff in the cell phones,
long story short, I kept asking him,
“Are you saying 3 seconds off or 3/10?”
And he’s like 3 seconds I’m like there
is no way. Are you sure? He’s like no
pretty sure.
>> Wow.
>> So I’m literally like I’m devastated.
I’m thinking I destroyed this car. I’m
not a little off. I’m never going to get
3 seconds. And it was a big bruise to
the ego because you know when you’re
doing D’s and you’re you know I had
pretty fast car. I drove pretty well. I
was always the fastest guy at the I mean
at that time I honestly would thought
that like you know if you put Michael
Schumacher who was the man at that point
in my car I’m sure he’d be faster but
not any more than like three or four
tents now I’m just laughing about that
now now I’m like he probably would have
beat by 5 seconds you know
>> so you just didn’t know what you didn’t
know and that’s one of the things I
always hated about people in racing
would say that to you and that’s what
they told me and I said well we’re just
going to try it and see and we did the
first Barber race was about four or five
months later and I did it and there was
about 60 cars there and I think I
finished 11th one day and I don’t even
remember where 11th was the best that I
did but you know Todd was there and he
was that was like when he was running
prospect Miata Daniels was running
prospect Miata the Pombo brothers like
who’s who of racing those two different
races I was 11th but the top seven or
eight guys were light years out I was
you know best of the rest but we were
you know two or three seconds off of the
other guys
>> and I just remember going I don’t think
we’ll ever get there and The kind of
norm of spec meat is everybody who
starts that’s pretty good is about two
or three seconds off the pace and then
they try like hell they get a second off
the pace and then the really good ones
make up the second and the other ones a
lot of people just don’t ever get there
the last second is tough first to get
from three to one is not terrible but it
it’s it’s an eye openener
>> and and how did you do that just lots of
seat time coaching time I never I never
really I had friends coach me and stuff
and give me advice but I never really
did any formal coaching but I just think
you know you’re going out and following
people and learning a little Todd was
very helpful to me when I started. Um he
was always, you know, he was winning
most of the races or he was always at
the front and like we would go to road
Atlanta and I loved that track and I
just could not get at the time was like
a 40 46 was a good time for me to get to
but the fast guys were 44s, 45s and it
took forever to get to those times and
it just it just didn’t click and then it
just starts to click and then once it
kind of clicks you’re there, you know.
I remember um we were here at Homestead
and I hadn’t I hadn’t driven in a few
months and I just I didn’t feel
comfortable and I I asked I thought it
was the car like there there’s something
wrong with the car, something wrong with
the setup and I asked Todd to just take
it for a drive if he didn’t mind and
just let me know. So he goes out for a
few laps, comes back in. I’m like, “It’s
the car, right?” He goes, “Don’t touch
the car. Car’s flying.”
>> That’s the worst behind the wheel
problem, right?
>> Like great. I’m the problem.
All right. Um, have you ever wanted to
race anything other than Spec Miata?
>> You know what? I I really haven’t. And
I’ve had so many people come through and
they all want to go up to do this and go
up to do that. And I and I tell them all
the time, especially a lot of the people
with this ladder system, especially when
Mazda’s offering it, their parents would
come to me and ask me, I’m like, “What
do you want to do?” You know, he’s like,
“Well, I want to go and do this.” Well,
just go buy the car because you know
you’re you’re going in a group like this
to try to get there and you have to win
and you have to spend money to win all
that. If that’s your end goal, go there,
buy that car and start racing that and
get your time there, you know.
>> Um, but for me, I originally when I
started to inspect Miata, I I was
keeping my RX7 in good shape and I was
thinking about buying one of the Z06
Corvettes cuz I was like, I’m not going
to want to I want to do something in
dees that’s fast. this Miata is not
going to cut it. You know,
>> once I got in the Miata, I never drove
another car again. Never wanted to. It
was because so competitive. So, I have
driven other people’s cars around track
and I did an ST uh SDL Miata for a
little while,
>> uh which was faster, but I just love the
Spec Miata because it’s the, you know,
>> you are as fast as you can possibly go
with somebody inches from you or
touching you, front, back. So,
>> well, we uh we asked Todd a very similar
question, you know, and he’s raced some
of the just fantastic cars,
>> and he always goes back to Spec Miata.
He just he loves it.
>> It’s it’s just so fun and so competitive
and the the cars are so good for driving
and handling and stuff. You could push
these cars to the brink, you know.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> So,
>> let’s talk about the Drago effect.
>> Okay.
>> What makes your cars and drivers just so
awesome?
>> Well, my drivers are just good. I mean,
you know, when Preston started with us,
um Preston was a a good driver, but we
we used to call him Patty Cakes and this
and that. He was running with another
team. I became friends with him through
Todd and his dad and you know, I just
would watch his videos and his dad would
tell me all the time, you need to get on
his case cuz Preston was he just didn’t
have the confidence and wasn’t super
aggressive, right? And then I would get
on him bad, you know, and and then he
just started doing it. And then we came
to the uh the 17 Indianapolis race for
the runoffs. And he had never won any
races, nothing. You know, and we his dad
said we were doing a test because they
had a a PCA day or something for a test.
And his dad said, “Can he borrow one of
your cars to do the testing while you’re
up there?” I’m like, “Yeah.” I said,
“Actually, I’ve got a guy doing
Saturday, but he can’t do Sunday.” He
drove the car and I had driven Saturday.
and Justin Hilly who was also did one of
our cars and also a national champion.
He was there on Saturday and Preston
came out on Sunday and he was faster
than both of us the first session. So
that track and Preston just right away
just clicked and I guess he and his dad
talked about the car and then said,
“Hey, you know, you mind if we rent that
car and run me for the run?” Like, “No,
sure.” So they ran at the runoffs and uh
I struggled Indie is probably the
hardest technical track that there is
and I just could not could not get the
time down, you know, and I had been, you
know, from where I was at that point
where Preston was,
>> no one was wanting to help Preston. And
I basically said, “Guys, we need to stop
working on my car. This is the guy
that’s going to be doing it. He’s he’s
there. He’s top five. I’m not, you know,
it’s that’s the way it works. You know,
you get the guy with the fastest guy.”
>> And uh man, he just drove his heart out.
He won that race and since then that’s
all it took and the confidence it and
now he’s doing Xfinity and if he gets in
a Miata if his car is competitive he’s
winning. There’s very few people are
beating him in a heads up race. He is
that good.
>> What makes your car so special?
>> I don’t know that our cars are that
special. I think that you know we we do
take our cars and really we try to get
build the best engine we can. We try to
just go from bumper to bumper and cover
everything. And I think where we really
beaten a lot of people, especially at
the track, is very few people come to
the track with scales, want to set up
and do everything. We It’s tiring. We’re
on this stupid setup pad every session.
And it’s like the customers now expect
that, you know,
>> and so many guys are like, “Yeah, it’s
fine.” And it’s it’s just not. The cars
are rubber bushing cars. They move
around a lot. So, you know, we kind of
feel like when if you’re going to go
here and you’re going to spend all the
time and money to get here, let’s get
every bit out of every session and
rather than it’s okay, we’ll go, you
know, set it up for this. So, we try to
go out every single session and get the
car as good as we can possibly make it
because, you know, yourself, you can
make it as good as you think it should
be and you could be wrong. So, you know,
we have to know where we were, where we
need to go, get it back. And I think
that’s probably what helped me the most.
I’m very good with the setup and
handling and I can get the car, you
know, pretty quickly where it is. I know
what the car needs pretty quickly and,
you know, this car is aren’t super
complicated either. So, yeah. Yeah.
>> Been driving the same car forever. So,
something feels wrong, you know, right
away, you know.
>> Do Do you prefer the car building,
engineering, setup side of it more or
getting behind the wheel?
>> Um,
I think I I probably, you know,
ultimately I still like driving, but I
think it’s probably about the same. I
mean, whenever we finish a new car and
it comes out, it’s like, “Oh god, that
looks so good. I want to dent it up.”
And then so many times we’ve driven cars
for like, you know, three seasons and
I’m always so busy, like been trying to
build my own race car now for at least
the last 6 months and it keeps getting
pushed off. So, I’m building a car that
we retubed that was a customer mine for
this weekend. My car sitting there all
stripped getting ready to start. But
every time I would get in a new car, I
would say, “I can’t believe I waited
this long to build it.” because it’s not
like it’s like seconds faster, but
everything is quiet, everything is
tight, everything does is so responsive.
>> So, so it’s just, you know, it’s it’s
just a pleasure to get in a new car and
drive it.
>> Sure.
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>> Let’s uh move on to the future. what
>> what the future may hold for for Jim
possibly your you know closing chapter
in your racing career. What does closing
your career on your terms really mean?
>> Um
>> what does that look like?
>> I guess if I I guess it’s going to be
kind of day by day, but I think uh
ideally um we’re to the point now where
my wife and I are thinking about what’s
the next step? Where do we want to where
do we want to retire? When do we want to
retire? So, in a perfect world, I think,
you know, maybe I’ll drive this season,
see how I feel, maybe next season, and
then continue to do the business, but
probably not drive too much more. So, I
think
>> probably this year, maybe next year,
probably I’ll probably wind it down.
>> Is there still something left to prove,
or you’ve pretty much done it all?
>> No, not really. But the um driving wise,
no, but uh, oddly enough, I’ve been
doing this for 23 years. I have good
friends outside of racing, but primarily
my best friends are all racing.
>> Yeah.
>> And um I spoke to a very good friend of
mine uh on the way to the airport this
morning uh Blake Clemens and we were
talking about it and he’s talking about
getting back in and he’s was a very
competitive spec racer and he said he’s
like you know he goes Jim I want to do
it but I want to do it right and I want
to have the time to do it. I don’t want
to be, you know, you can’t go from being
nationally competitive to just jumping
in once a once or twice a year in a
halfass car and not being competitive. I
said, I know. And he said, and you know,
I enjoy going to the racetrack, but he
goes, there’s something different when
you’re not racing.
>> It’s just different. And I said, you
know, it really is. And I said, not that
I’m so dying. It’s just
>> competitors, everyone just looks at you
different. It’s not the same. You know,
it’s a different karm. It’s not like
they look down on you or anything, but
it’s just a different thing, you know.
Let me ask you with such a career that
that that you’ve had, do you ever
consider what your legacy would look
like, what kind of legacy you want to
leave behind?
>> Not really. Because when I started this,
my goal honestly was just to win a
regional race. And like a goal that I
thought like would be awesome if I could
ever accomplish it was to win the Ark,
which is the regional national
championship. I never thought that was
ever going to happen. And ironically, I
won, I think, uh, three national
championships, the big ones, before I
ever won the arc. But I did, that was
the last thing that I had on my list
that I wanted to cross off. So,
>> as far as driving wise and
accomplishments wise, no, nothing. Have
fun and maybe, you know, have have some
fun with my friends and uh be
competitive, but not really uh nothing
else that I need to to leave behind. You
know,
>> you’ve pretty much surpassed all your
expectations
>> by a mile. Yeah, by a mile. And I’m not
the prototypical looking race car driver
either. And I’m thinner now than I was
when I was winning national
championships.
>> Well, you’re you’re very humble and
you’re easy to talk to for for somebody
that’s so well accomplished.
>> Thank you.
>> Like I said, I I’ve been wanting to chat
with you for for some time since uh
since we’ve had you on the on the
schedule.
>> Um
I want to talk about your wife cuz you
brought her up. She’s been very
supportive in your your career.
How does she feel about you coming back
to racing since since the wreck?
>> You know what? My wife is a gem. I’ve
been married now for 33 years, I think.
And uh we’ve been together before that
and she is not crazy about me getting in
the car and she was uh
>> you know, always my biggest fan and she
really enjoyed going to the races, you
know, beforehand. But, uh, like I said,
when they did cut me out of that car,
one thing I didn’t mention is I always
get my helmet and Hans on in the car,
take it off in the car cuz I’m tall and
car is kind of tight. So, instinctively,
I guess, not even knowing it with all
the broken ribs in the collar bone. I
took my helmet and Hans off and placed
it down. I don’t know if I was getting
out of the car or what. Sure.
>> But, I was 20 yards from my wife staring
right at her and she was trying to get
me to give her a thumbs up or something.
And you know, I didn’t I didn’t see her.
I didn’t know what planet I was on.
>> And she saw me with the car and I you
know, she’s told me this that she was
talking to other teammates, parents, and
stuff. And she’s like, “Well, if he
lives through this, that’ll be great.
He’s obviously doesn’t have any legs
left because the car was so short.” Oh,
yeah. So, it was way tough for her. But
>> she plays competitive tennis and she
knows that my friends are here and she
knows that it’s important to me. So, she
would never tell me not to do it. But if
we do get into it where I see she’s
really having a hard time with it, I
will stop
>> because I don’t want to put her through
that. So, I told her we’ll we’ll take it
day by day. And uh I certainly don’t
want to put her through anything. But I
think, you know, time kind of heals
everything. Get a couple
>> quiet races under our belt with no
problems.
>> We’ll start to ease up a little bit and
if it doesn’t, we’ll cross that bridge
when it comes. You know, that’s
something I always like to uh get into
whenever we have we talk to a racer
that’s got into, you know, a severe
wreck. Um,
>> we seem to have run a lot of those.
>> Yes.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Howal how Gold comes to mind. He
had a huge wreck in Daytona and his wife
was there and
>> similar just sort of a sitting duck
after Yes.
>> spinning. In fact, she was she was in
the studio as he was telling the story.
And I’m always curious as to the other
side because as a driver, you’re going
through, you know, through all this. We
got that, but what about your wife? What
What is she going through as she’s
watching you get, you know, cut out of
the car?
>> I mean, I had the pain and all that
stuff, but I think mentally it had to be
harder on her.
>> Yeah.
>> Because she feels helpless,
>> right? Watching somebody that you love
go through.
>> Also, you know,
you know, the man of the family, someone
who’s always done everything for the
family. All of a sudden, this guy can’t
move.
>> Yeah.
>> So, it’s, you know, it’s it’s an eye
openener for sure.
>> Yeah.
>> And how how are the kids? How old are
the kids?
>> My kids are growing now. My son just
turned 29 and my daughter is uh 26. No,
27 now. Um my daughter was great and my
kids are okay with it. My son would, you
know, he cared he wants me to race, but
my daughter would be fine if I didn’t
race again. But again, she’s just feels
the same way as my wife. If it’s
something I want to do, be careful and
>> sure
>> get it out of your system and then we’ll
move on.
>> Yeah. I I I think it’s a recurring theme
now more than I think ever. Uh we have
we have guests come on and they have
just these incredible stories of you
know perseverance you know overcoming
incredible obstacles, incredible careers
and uh and I think that’s one of the
things that I’m getting a a big kick out
of doing these podcasts is listening to
that the human side of the story. We’re
just presenting it through the lens of
motorsports. Yeah.
>> And you have an incredible story and and
I really thank you for sharing that with
us.
>> Yeah. funny text I got from my daughter
when I was on our family text chain. We
said uh you know you’re really gonna
race you and they’re like well how do
you think you’re gonna do? And she’s I
said uh we’re going back and forth. I
said well I’m going to take it easy.
It’s you know we’ll see it’s first week
and this and that.
>> And then she’s like well how do you
think you’re going to do? And I said
Cara if I didn’t plan on winning I
wouldn’t let him be going.
>> Spoken like a true racer.
>> Exactly. I’m going to win.
>> She just shook her head.
>> How do you think I’m going to do?
>> I’m not racing to come in second or
third.
>> Right.
>> True. So,
>> all right.
>> Funny.
>> Um, let’s move on to our last segment,
which is going to be the guest
challenge. This is where you have a
chance to challenge two of your friends
to come on the podcast. Do you have two
friends in mind?
>> Sure.
>> So, go ahead and look it right into the
camera and challenge them.
>> I challenge uh Preston Partardis and
Nick Brun.
>> All right, there it is, guys. The
challenge has been laid down by Jim. If
you want to come on the podcast, we
welcome you to go to off
theracingline.com, fill out the form,
let us know when you want to come in,
and we would love to have you.
>> Jim, it’s been fantastic talking to you.
>> Um,
>> I hope we can have you back.
>> Yeah, I I plan on coming back.
>> And good luck this weekend. We’ll be uh
we will be rooting for you.
>> Yes. This is your triumphant return
after over a year of not racing.
>> Yeah, a year and a half almost. Year and
three or four months, I guess.
>> Yes. I will be listening for your name
out there.
>> Okay. Well, hopefully I’ll be doing
well.
>> All right, that is all for right now.
And remember, everything interesting
happens off the racing line. See you
guys next time.
>> Everything interesting happens off the
racing line.
>> I took the hard road.
I
dream driver ain’t always straight. Kept
my head down, fueled by faith. I lost
some time, but found my name. Pressure
made a diamond out of me.
I’ve arrived
and I brought receipts.
Wrote my truth between the scars and his
peace.
This ain’t love.
on this seat off the racing line
where my story begins.
