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November 30, 2023

You Won’t Believe What This Race Puts Its Competitors Through—or Spectators

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 2:30 am

You hear a lot of strange noises at night from inside a camping tent. In the California desert, there’s coyotes yipping and screeching under the moonlight, plotting heinous crimes against household pets. In the woods of Vermont, it’s the trademark “Who cooks for youuu?” hoot of the barred owl, which is an unsettling thing to be asked while you’re squatted down in the dark with your pants around your ankles. Nothing compares, however, to the piercing backwoods racket happening in southern Tennessee during Red Bull TKO weekend—when the harshest hard enduro race on this half of the planet is in full tilt. 

In the dense forests of Sequatchie, TN, campers have heard sounds for years that simply defy explanation. The locals have attributed it to an urban legend known as “The Banshee of Sequatchie,” an elusive humanoid cryptid said to haunt the mountains around the nearby Trials Training Center for demons on dirt bikes.

Whatever it is, it’s been happening around the end of August every year since 2011. Without fail, dozens of people report hearing strange noises like aluminum cans being crushed from dusk till dawn, human-like screams and laughter coming from deep within the forest, and the unmistakable sound of two-stroke engines ringing throughout the night like a gang of chainsaw-wielding madmen felling trees by moonlight.

I’d been following this phenomenon for years, but this August I decided to travel out to the Sequatchie Valley wilderness myself to investigate. What I discovered there in the woods of East Tennessee is not for the faint of heart, so consider yourself warned before reading further into this tale of supernatural spectacle.

Hard enduro racing is, by its very nature, a bewildering spectacle to behold—a lawless free-for-all where the race course is the forest itself.

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What Goes On in the Wilderness

I spent three nights in those woods, but it took all of three seconds to solve the mystery of the “The Banshee of Sequatchie.” Here in this sleepy little town with a population of just 16,000 people, it turns out the folks at Red Bull have been sponsoring the most challenging off-road race in North America right under our noses. I was stuck in the middle of the 2023 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout hard enduro championship, and I was in for 72 hours of sheer madness.

Like all urban legends, it turns out the TKO started from humble beginnings. The competition first ran back in 2011, and saw just 50 racers competing for a very modest cash reward. Nowadays the TKO is unrecognizable from that first undertaking, with some 500 riders and thousands more fans descending on the small town for race weekend.

If you’ve never been to a hard enduro event before, it’s important to understand what you’re missing. There’s a reason people drive thousands of miles across the country for this event, some even coming from as far as South America for a glimpse of the action.

Hard enduro racing is, by its very nature, a bewildering spectacle to behold. It’s a lawless free-for-all where the race course is the forest itself, and if you’re a spectator the best seats in the house are general admission, standing room only, and mere inches away from the action.

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Race fans file into the woods in giant waves, jockeying for position around the steepest hills, rockiest creek beds, and muddiest ruts for a chance to see dirt bikes do the impossible. Their favorite riders squeeze by so close you can see the sweat streaming down their faces and fill your lungs with the sweet smell of their two-stroke smoke.

Catching mud in your teeth from a spinning tire is like catching a home run at a major league game, and for fans who stray a little too close to the action, catching a front tire to the chest isn’t out of the question either.

What makes the Tennessee TKO particularly attractive to fans is its unique schedule. Because the race is run in a “knockout” format, with three major events on Sunday alone, you get a chance to see near-constant action from Friday afternoon all the way through Sunday evening.

All you have to do is load up your cooler, pitch your tent, and prepare to enjoy three days of one of the South’s most cherished traditions: Raising hell in the woods.

“They chose this area because it’s incredibly nasty, rocky, and humid,” says 6-time TKO champ Cody Webb. “The intensity keeps getting higher. It’s a death trap.” 

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Prologue: Friday Qualifying

For me, the action started promptly on Friday afternoon, with amateur hot laps beginning at 2 p.m. The short 1-mile lap determines each rider’s starting position for Saturday. But with some 400 amateurs lining up for a chance to race against the pros, spectators get a full four hours of constant race traffic to soak up before sundown.

This is another important hallmark of TKO tradition: The contest started as an open invitation to amateurs and pros alike, and the format remains unchanged in this regard.

This year’s amateurs included teenagers too young to drive on public roads, as well as men too old to know a TikTok dance when they see one. The Red Bull TKO is also unique in that it hosts the first-ever all-electric class in the sport, the ECR eMoto, which means this is also one of the only races on the planet you can see electric motorcycles compete head-to-head with gas bikes.

Friday is only a brief taste of the action, but it’s a good indicator of what’s to come during the weekend. Over the course of that short mile, I saw a 13-year-old boy crying tears of joy after crossing the finish line, as well as a grown man weeping hysterically after repeatedly falling into a rocky creek bed.

When they say hard enduro, they’re serious about the “hard” part.

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Six-time TKO winner and AMA Endurocross Champion, Cody Webb, knows this better than most. He’s run this race every year without fail since its inception, and doesn’t mince words when it comes to the Tennessee backcountry.

“They chose this area because it’s incredibly nasty, rocky terrain, and it’s incredibly hot and humid,” said Webb. “Usually in hard enduro we just do one massive, terrible race. This one builds in difficulty and then ends in one big all-out sprint to incorporate more actual racing rather than just suffering. It honestly makes you suffer more because the intensity keeps getting higher. It’s a death trap.”

Strong words from a man who’s conquered the most challenging tracks on the planet. Webb has taken podiums at the Austrian Erzbergrodeo, a brutal hillclimb out of the country’s deepest iron mine, as well as Minas Rider’s challenge through the jungles of Brazil, just to name a few.

By the end of the day, hundreds of riders had completed the loop. The best ran the entire mile in just under six minutes, while others took nearly an hour to fight their way through. Dozens more weren’t able to complete the short course at all, and quietly bowed out from the rest of the weekend’s proceedings.

The sun set, fires were started, and the strange sounds of the Sequatchie Valley night began…

Riders at the 2023 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout brave treacherous obstacles.

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Saturday: Amateur Knockouts

Saturday marks the start of the amateur racing proper, and the contestants have a tough row to hoe ahead of them. To qualify for Sunday’s pro races (and the prize money on offer), they’ll have to complete two 12-mile courses back to back, with one in the morning shortly after sunrise and a second just after 12 noon.

Both races are limited to a two-and-a-half-hour time limit, and anyone who can’t conquer the woods before the clock runs out gets knocked out by default. The fastest 200 riders from the morning race will advance into the afternoon, and of those 200, only 30 will make the cut to race on Sunday.

As if 12 miles of mossy boulders, muddy creek beds, and hills so steep they’re impossible to climb on foot aren’t hard enough, the Tennessee woods harbor a uniquely nefarious challenge for riders: Heat.

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The temperature and humidity of the southern United States come as quite a shock for even the most skilled riders, many of whom are accustomed to racing in milder European climates. Even last year’s world champion, German rider Mani Letttenbichler, had his reservations about the race.

“There are harder tracks than this one,” said Lettenbichler, “but for me as a European coming over, I can tell you it’s the heat and humidity that really get to me. By the time you come into the finish, you’re just ready to throw up because you’re so exhausted.”

And that’s just the first of many finish lines to be crossed this weekend. The heat and intensity are so extreme in these woods, many of the amateur racers who make the cut for Sunday’s main event simply aren’t willing to go on competing.

It’s a war of attrition through and through. Of the 200 riders who qualified for the second race Saturday, only 178 actually managed to complete it. Heat exhaustion, dehydration, and mental fatigue all claimed their fair share of victims that afternoon, but 30 local contenders emerged from the woods victorious, limping their way back to camp to lick their wounds before Sunday’s battle.

Race fans file into the woods in giant waves, jockeying for position around the steepest hills, rockiest creek beds, and muddiest ruts for a chance to see dirt bikes do the impossible.

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Sunday Showdown: The 2023 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout

Sunday’s racing is a three-stage event, with each race adding more obstacles and difficulty to the one before it. This is where pros like Lettenbichler know that strategy comes into play, as three brutal races in one day are as much about skill as they are endurance.

“I can’t even say it’s like a poker game because it’s all luck,” said Lettenbichler. “If you’re in a group of really fast guys, you really have to push for it every race. If it’s not such a fast group, you can relax a little and save some energy for the final rather than just pushing the whole time. There’s some strategy there, but you can’t plan it in advance.”

The first race kicks off promptly at 9 a.m. with the sound of an air horn. It’s a startling wake-up call for those of us who were up into the wee hours making Bigfoot sounds and pillaging our neighbor’s coolers. But as they say around these parts, “That’s just racing, baby.”

The initial knockout round sees fast guys like Webb and Lettenbichler cross the finish in just under 50 minutes, while the majority of the amateur qualifiers lag behind by a full 20 minutes or more. Over half the field is knocked out in the first event, and the 30 fastest riders who survive have little time to catch their breath as the second race starts shortly thereafter at 11:45 a.m.

Fatigue sets in as the second race begins, and riders are hammered with even more difficult sections than the previous race. There’s a notable increase in lap times even among the fastest riders on the course, with nearly an hour’s difference between pros like Webb and the final riders who qualify.

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“The terrain out here is just so rocky and relentless.” said Webb. “You’re riding a ton by the end of the day. Normally my hands don’t hurt at the end of a race, but for this race the front wheel is just constantly bouncing off so much stuff. You get to the final race and you’ve got blisters and calluses and you’re just thinking, ‘I really don’t want to start this.’ Your tongue is in the spokes by the time you get to the finish.”

Of the 20 riders who make it to the final knockout, only seven actually made it through all seven laps. Once the dust had settled, Canadian rider Trystan Hart stood atop the podium with his KTM 300 XC-W, followed by the Brit Billy Bolt aboard a Husqvarna TE300i, with third place going to Lettenbichler and his KTM 300 EXC. He looked relieved to be off the bike, and nearly ready to collapse.

“You always just suffer,” he said. “During the race you’re asking yourself ‘What the fuck am I doing here?’ Once you finish you’re telling yourself ‘I don’t know if I ever want to do this again.’ By tomorrow, it’ll be ‘Actually that was pretty cool. I’ll probably come back next year.’”

Looking to add the Red Bull Tennessee Knockout to your own schedule next year? You can keep tabs on the race at the Tennesee Trials Training Center website

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November 17, 2023

Lewis Hamilton’s Hotel Hacks Every Traveler Needs to Try

Lewis Hamilton first stepped into the Mercedes-AMG Petronas car over a decade ago. Before his signing, Mercedes was struggling to produce as a team, but with the young, cunning Brit behind the wheel, things changed. Since then, Hamilton has scored the record for most wins, pole finishes, and podium finishes in the most competitive motorsport in the world. No matter how gifted the athlete, leading the pack like that doesn’t come solely through natural ability, and the driver has found a formula for success that follows him across the globe.

Men’s Journal spoke with Hamilton on how he prepares to drive circuits he’s never seen before at speeds over 200 miles per hour, his favorite cross-training activities, and the travel routines that keep him at the front of the pack.

Men’s Journal: F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix has a start time of 10p.m. PT. How are you prepping for a night race—any hacks?  

Lewis Hamilton: Preparing to drive a new track means as much simulation work as possible to get a feel for the course. I have two full days that I’ll do in the sim before I land in Vegas. It’s important to adjust your internal clock, so before we get to Nevada, the team is spending some time in Los Angeles. I’m already adjusting my mornings to waking up and going to bed later to fit with the schedule of a night race. I’m also making sure my meals and nutrition intake fits the new schedule.

The key is adjusting the light I’m taking in—using different bulbs with different brightness so I can maintain a good circadian rhythm. Since we travel so much, I always make sure the rooms we’re staying in have blackout curtains so I can get a deep sleep at any hour. I like to keep the room cool, which makes the bed more welcome. The bed itself is also crucial, I like a firm pillow because I like to sleep on my side. The ones I have at home are Tempur-Pedic.

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Do you struggle with sleep?

I’ve never been a great sleeper. For years I would go to bed at 2 or 3 in the morning and sleep for about five hours. But, to be honest, that worked for me, because our days are leading up to the the main event, which is later in the afternoon. So if I wake up at 5 in the morning, I’m probably peaking a lot earlier in the day than if I wake up at 8. So I’m sticking with waking up later, though these days I’m trying to get more like seven hours of sleep a night.

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The Mercedes Benz team has a partnership with Marriott Bonvoy and The Ritz-Carlton, which seems like a smart one given how much you travel. How do you make a hotel feel like a home away from home?

One of the most important amenities is a coffee machine in the room, because I like to have coffee when I wake up on race day or any day for that matter. I love to play music, it calms me so I’ll have my music equipment in the room as well. I have a keyboard that folds in half so it’s easier to travel with. I really want that hotel space to feel like home. The Marriott team takes that to another level, and sometimes they’ll even have a picture of my dog, Roscoe, on the nightstand.

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It’s also about what I have them take out of the room. I have them take out all the snacks and anything from the minibar, because when you’re working strange hours your body can crave comfort. The easiest way to get that is from food, so I want to eliminate any temptation I might have to deal with later. Instead, I’ll make sure the fridge is filled with healthy snacks like fruit. 

Lewis Hamilton has trained with Grant Roberts for years to hone his strength.

Mark Thompson/Getty Images

What’s the most challenging part about being a Formula 1 driver?

The Formula 1 season is very challenging for all the drivers. We’re going to 24 different countries, maybe more throughout the year, sitting in planes all the time. Rest and recovery is a huge part of making sure we’re on point when it comes to showing up to the races ready. There’s an immense amount of travel involved. My mindset is greatly benefitted by meditation, so I try to prioritize it. I don’t always get to, and I can feel the difference, but the schedule can get very hectic. I always do better when I can put that focus into my mental game.

I like to start my day with positive affirmations, no matter what state I’m in, and focus on the things I want to do. That’s where things like playing music comes in handy. Competing has become very serious business, and we work hard, perhaps too hard. There’s immense benefit to smiling to the body and mind. Exercise is also a great way to help me stay sharp, on top of being critical to succeeding in motorsports.

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Speaking on that, how do you train leading up to and during a Formula 1 season?

I love to run, so that’s one of my favorite ways to exercise and stay on point during the season. If I can get a good 40 or 50K in during the week, I’m in a good place. That’s on top of the regular workouts I’m doing in the gym. I never had a trainer when I was younger, but when I got to Formula 1 I started working with a trainer who was primarily a physio. His program had me doing a lot of cardio and swimming. That was because back in the day we had to maintain a weight of 68kg [150lbs], which made it difficult to maintain any muscle.

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They changed those rules and now you can be heavier, so these days I sit around 74 or 75kg [163 or 165lbs]. That’s great because in my own free time I love to lift weights and get after it. I’ll go to an underground gym in Los Angeles with my friend Miles Chamley-Watson, who’s also an Olympic fencer for some intense sessions. He’s very slender and tall, which is great for his sport, but means I definitely got him beat when it comes to the pullups. The only problem is after one or two good sessions I’ve usually put on too much and have to ease back.

Formula 1 cars have a top speed of 214mph.

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Any unexpected cross-training that helps on the track?

During the winter months I do a lot of cross-country skiing and hiking. I also love to surf, which usually turns mostly into me swimming because I don’t surf that well. That’s what I’ll be doing ahead of Vegas, getting into the ocean on a board before I’m back on the track.

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I see you’re a fan of ice baths. How do you think cold plunging helps you recover?

I do a lot of ice baths, or cryotherapy if it’s available, for recovery. That’s been a game-changer for me. There’s barely any suspension in our cars. I don’t know if people understand the toll your back and arms are taking. There’s a lot of pressure going through your lower back, knees, and ankles during a race. The lower body is very tense. Getting in the cold for a good three minutes really helps bring down the body temperature and resets you mentally.

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Those are even more crucial on the race weekends, before or after the race sessions. I used to save the cold plunges until we got back home, but this past year we’ve brought them behind the garage. I’m so hot when I get out of the car, and there’s no shower where we are. I’m heading to engineering soaked with sweat. They’ve become such a big part of my regime that I‘ll bring a cold plunge into the hotel room when I can. That and a little coffee are the best way to start a race day.

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March 11, 2022

Daniel Ricciardo on the Latest Installment of Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 10:21 pm

For most of his career, eight-time Formula 1 winner Daniel Ricciardo was a bit of a dark horse for all but the most passionate Formula 1 devotees. But as one of the central figures in Netflix’s Drive to Survive documentary series, his happy-go-lucky persona has charmed a wider audience and a multitude of new fans around the globe.

We caught up with the Aussie at the beginning of F1 testing in Spain to talk about this year’s season, the elevation of his celebrity, and his dream on-track battle.

Men’s Journal: What are your expectations for the 2022 season?

Daniel Ricciardo: I’m hopeful we can obviously be competitive, podium, try to win a few races, but we haven’t seen these rule changes in such a long time that we don’t really know what to expect. I really hope the field bunches up, like from first to last there’s only a second between the cars, as opposed to two or three seconds. Close to harder racing, I think that would be awesome. I mean, I’m prepared, but obviously the car is a big factor in this sport, so I couldn’t tell you today where I expect to finish.

Can you tell me what success looks like for this season?

A handful of podiums, top three in the teams championship. I’d love to obviously get another win, if not 10. But how I rate my success is how I feel leaving a race. If I know I’ve done everything I can that weekend and left it all out on the track, then that’s success.

Who do you view as your main rival this season?

I definitely expect Mercedes and Red Bull to be strong again. So, Lewis [Hamilton], Max [Verstappen], the usual contenders. But I think it’s a year that Ferrari could step up again and really fight for wins. Lewis also has a new teammate this year, George Russell. He’s a very young, fast driver, so he could be a threat as well—a real competitor.

Aston Martin looks like they’ve designed a pretty different car to everyone else at this stage, with a different philosophy, so they might be onto something.

Orange race car
Courtesy of McLaren F1 

After two years with no Aussie GP, I imagine you’re excited to get home to race?

Yeah! Having a home race is a real privilege because you’ve got so much support and love. The sport’s grown in the last 24 months, quite significantly, and I expect it to be pretty wild. It’ll be a nice entrance.

What do you think Drive to Survive’s impact has been on F1?

Putting it simply and very basically, it’s been massive! I know there are statistics that the growth has been immense from it, but personally I’ve felt it. Europe’s known about F1 since the start of time, really, so it’s grown in Europe, but it’s more the markets that didn’t really know anything about F1—particularly the States. Three, four years ago I’ll holiday there and not get stopped once. Now it’s a regular occurrence and people enjoy it. So it’s not just that you’re recognized, it’s that they really are taking a liking to the sport, and that’s what makes me most happy. You can share the sport now with more of the world, and it’s getting more appreciated.

Do you think it’s because of the accessibility—that the series lends a lens into what happens day to day, race to race?

Yeah, absolutely. For years it was such a doors-closed, private sport. It was only a few years ago we were allowed to take videos with our camera phones in the paddock and the pits. They’ve opened up a lot more, and obviously Netflix has come in full steam. It’s also a sport where not only did it used to be very private but, unless the driver’s on the podium, you never really see the driver with the helmet off. So there’s probably a period of time where no one really knew what drivers looked like as well.

Has the show made it easier for the previously loyal F1 fans to get a little deeper into the sport?

If you’ve been a fan of F1 for 10, 20 years, it’s probably what you always craved or wished for, all this access. So now getting it, it’s probably pretty huge for someone who’s followed it for so long.

In the show you come across as a happy-go-lucky warrior, which is a bit atypical for an F1 driver. Do you feel like that’s accurate?

Yeah, it’s definitely me. I think when I first got into F1, people thought ‘Oh, okay, this kid’s too happy-go-lucky, and he’s not hard enough and he doesn’t want it enough because he’s just bouncing around, smiling and joking a lot.’ But I think once I proved that I can deliver on the track and I do have that other side to me, then it was cool. It encouraged me to still be me, because I was able to make the transition from Daniel to driver.

How do you keep that vibe even when things aren’t going so great?

That vibe is challenged for sure, it’s not unconditional. I’ll credit perspective, and I definitely have the ability to find perspective in things. I remember one bad race, I got taken out on lap one, which is like worst case scenario. You build up all day to race, then in 30 seconds your race is over. Obviously, I was upset and pissed, but I was still like, ‘You know what? My friends would kill to have this job.’ I want to appreciate that if a bad day for me is still being at a racetrack somewhere and having a chance to perform, then it’s not all bad. And I knew I had another chance the following week. As long as you get a chance for redemption, then I think there’s always a good way to look at things. And having people around you, whether it’s family, friends—they can help pick you up when things don’t go as planned.

Race car driver in yellow printed helmet and car
Courtesy of McLaren F1 

So with the chaos of the finish in Abu Dhabi, do you feel like there’s an asterisk on the last season?

I don’t. I think it was definitely a moment in time that was obviously quite dramatic. I guess for the whole race, everyone was thinking Hamilton was probably going to win, and then obviously that changed. So yeah, the outcome and everything was a big moment in time, but I don’t think it tarnishes the season. Of course, that race was what it was, and some people agreed. Some people didn’t. So it was quite polarizing. But to show my respect to Lewis and Max, what they did all season was pretty immense. So I think that will be appreciated and respected much more than that last lap.

Do you think that was the right decision?

I think with hindsight you’d probably say maybe a red flag would’ve been best, then everyone can restart on, say, the same tires. But it’s obviously easier said than done. And I’ve never sat in race control, so I would hate to know how hard those decisions can be. In hindsight, yeah, I guess they would’ve probably changed a bit.

How do you evaluate risk behind the wheel?

A lot of it is on feeling. It’s kind of two parts. It’s the literal feeling of do I think the car can do what I want it to do. But then the other part of the feeling is how will this make me feel if I take this risk. So my example is overtaking. There’s always a risk overtaking someone. But, you kind of go, ‘How will this make me feel if I don’t take the risk and I just finish wherever I am and play it safe?’ The answer normally is that won’t make me feel good because I didn’t try.

What does speed feel like to you when you’re on the edge?

It’s fun and scary. Speed is something you become conditioned to as well. Driving F1 the first time I was like, ‘Oh man, I don’t think I can do this. This is so fast.’ But the more you do it, the more you’re like, ‘Oh, actually this isn’t fast enough.’

The feeling it gives me is freedom. I guess if you’ve ever ridden a motorcycle, you know you’ve got the wind blowing in your hair and that sort of stuff, and you feel like you’re going fast, and you feel like you’re free and you’re untouchable. So, they’re kind of the feelings I get from speed. But yeah, ultimately, it’s an adrenaline rush, and that’s what I love about it, probably more than anything.

From Instagram, you seem more like a truck guy. What’s your daily driver right now?

I love bikes, mountain biking or dirt biking, so I’ve always had a truck of some sort so I can put a bike in the back. My favorite truck I’ve had is a Raptor; that’s kind of my happy truck. And then if I’m obviously doing any kind of Sunday drive, where I want to have a bit of fun, then the good people of McLaren assist me wherever I am in the world.

Race car driver on track
Courtesy of McLaren F1 

You’ve got a few tattoos. Any new ink?

My last one actually was in Spa (Belgium Grand Prix)—the race that got rained out last year. My friend was there at the race and he’s a tattoo artist, and he’s like, ‘Oh, I’ve got my gun with me.’ So, he tattooed me in a Belgium hotel room, and yeah, that was that. It says “Of love and life,” and it’s the title of a song for the band I love, Caamp. I don’t know, it just kind of rings, and I just love it. The song as well, it’s quite deep, and it actually makes me think of the things that I do love and care for, like family, especially when I’m away from home for a long time.

Do you have any guilty pleasures on the road? Tattoos not withstanding.

I love trying to find a good burger, especially a Buffalo chicken burger or something. So yeah. Mostly if I’m in the States, I feel like they do it well. I normally try and eat something naughty.

I spent quite a bit of time in LA, and one of the first fried chicken burgers I had was in Santa Monica at this restaurant called The Misfit, and they do wicked fried chicken. I think they even call it a fried chicken sandwich, but it’s a fried chicken burger, and that was one of the first I had, and it opened my eyes to how good fried chicken can really be.

If you could only race one more race, any series, any car, anything, against whom would you race, and where would you do it?

Look, I’ve never done it and it would be cool, so Daytona 500 and, yeah, if I could race against Dale Earnhardt Jr. that would be really cool.

Is Dale Earnhardt a hero?

Massively! I was a big NASCAR fan growing up. In Austin last year, at the race, I did a Dale Earnhardt kind of tribute helmet, because it was 20 years since his passing. That was cool.

Drive to Survive Season 4 debuts March 11.

For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!

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December 25, 2021

The Sound and Fury of Formula Drift

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 3:33 pm

Fast cars, smoking tires and ear-shattering noise. These are the nuts and bolts of Formula Drift.

Unlike most motorsports, Formula Drift isn’t an actual race. Drivers tango in tandem, competing with their dance partners to drift longer and deeper into corners—and are then judged on the skill they demonstrate.

That’s not to say drift cars are slow. After all, what would a motorsport be without speed? The spectacle is predicated on a certain amount of velocity in order to produce the billowing plumes that pour from the wheel wells.

This year’s Pro series was contested over nine events around the country and streamed live for viewers at home. Akin to competitive surfing, skateboarding or snowboarding, it’s a visually inspiring format that mates perfectly with social media—Formula Drift’s official accounts have millions of followers. And while the series (launched in 2003) predates both Facebook and Instagram, Formula Drift has lately become one of the hottest motorsports in the world. Its appeal is easy to understand.

“It’s the art of trying to control a car that’s out of control—and I think there’s something ultimately very sexy and exciting about that,” says Norwegian driver Fredric Aasbø, who leads the points for the Formula Drift championship going into the final event.

Attend any event and it’s quickly apparent why drifting is so enthralling. The volume from the 1,000-horsepower motors is bone-shaking and the whole experience is visceral.

Race car drivers standing on podium
THANANUWAT SRIRASANT

“You’re not watching it from far away. These things are in your face,” says Nick Gregson of Compton-based Antigravity Batteries. “You’re smelling all that burnt rubber and race gas. It just gets your adrenaline going.”

The fans are not only treated to the spectacle of the duels, but can also get up close and personal with the gladiators and their chariots. Any attendee can walk right though the pits, and most Drift drivers are surprisingly accessible—willing to give autographs or snap a photo. Pit crews are also happy to chat about their work and will occasionally even invite a fan to sit behind the wheel of one of the racers.

Unlike other series, a large number of Drift aficionados are serious enthusiasts with their own whips they take to the track. It’s a scene embraced by the tuner community, where you’re likely to pass fans in “Tuna, No Crust” T-shirts (a reference to The Fast and the Furious) and backpacks with straps made from racing harnesses. Along with typical merchandise like T-shirts and stickers, vendors also offer engine parts and mod kits.

“We’re really into drifting,” says Nick Martinez, who recently blew up his BMW 4 Series F32 on the freeway. Martinez was attending a qualifying session for the Autozone Streets of Long Beach with his friend and aspiring drift racer Jehad Asad, who rips laps in a 1992 Nissan 240SX. “I’m not trying to get us in trouble, but we really do like it—on and off professional tracks,” Martinez said. The pair, as do many others, comes to the track to feel the energy and thrill of the scene. “You never know what’s going to happen. It takes a lot of skill and attention to do what you gotta do here. That’s what I respect the most about it—it just takes some balls to do what they’re doing.”

The action draws more casual observers too. “I get the point of doing laps in traditional racing. It’s all for speed,” says Buffalo (just one name) from Orange County. “But for someone like me who knows dick about cars, this is way more interesting to watch.”

It’s easy to see why that’s true for both aspiring drifters and plain old racing fans drawn to something completely different. “We’d all love to be badasses behind the steering wheel,” says Aasbø. “Ask anyone.”

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September 28, 2021

Recap: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Super Drift Events

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For fans of racing, last weekend’s Super Drift events were icing on the cake. They were part of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend, a motorsport festival on the streets of Long Beach. And, along with the IndyCar main event, Formula DRIFT was putting on a show.

The Super Drift event here traces its history to 2005. That’s when Grand Prix organizers invited Formula DRIFT to put on a drift demo. The next year, a standalone event was created, and it’s been part of the Formula DRIFT schedule ever since.

The event is a little different, taking place on turns 9-11 on the Grand Prix track. Drivers race through heats until one winner remains. However, a condensed schedule means this isn’t a full Formula DRIFT event with 32 drivers. Instead, the Long Beach Super Drift event invites eight drivers to duke it out over two nights of competition.

Fans had a nice surprise on Friday night with the return of Forrest Wang in the Achilles Tire/Yellowspeed Racing/NRG Innovations Nissan. Wang has been absent from Formula DRIFT since the 2019 season. That’s also the year when he won both Super Drift rounds. This year, however, he didn’t take the top spot.

On the first night, Jeff Jones in the Jeff Jones Racing/GT Radial Nissan 370Z came out on top. He defeated Wang in the first round and, after a One More Time, eked past Justin Pawlak driving the Falken Tire Ford Mustang. Finally, Jones overtook Michael Essa in the FCP Euro/Liqui Moly/GT Radial BMW M3 in the final round.

On Saturday, it was Pawlak’s night to shine. After he beat Essa in the first round, the speed of Pawlak’s Mustang was too much for Wang in the Final 4. An all-Mustang final versus Trenton Beechum in the Clonex Racing/Nexen Tire Ford Mustang did not come to pass, as Beechum had car problems that left him in the pits. All that was left was a victory lap for Pawlak.

Next up for Formula DRIFT PRO and Link ECU PROSPEC championships is the final round at the Irwindale Speedway on October 22-23.

For more information on schedule, tickets, and drivers, visit formulad.com.

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August 26, 2021

Formula DRIFT PRO and PROSPEC Head to St. Louis

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With only three rounds remaining in the 2021 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship, the title chase is heating up as we head toward the Final round in Irwindale, CA, at the end of October.

Round 6: Crossroads brings the teams to familiar territory at the World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, IL—a mere six miles from the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

With 100 points available for the winner of each round, 32 of the 33 FD PRO drivers have a mathematical chance of winning. But in reality, the 2021 FD PRO Champion will almost certainly emerge from the top six drivers, who are all within 105 points of current leader Chelsea DeNofa (USA) in the BC Racing / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D.

Despite three wins from five rounds, DeNofa is only one point clear of second place Matt Field (USA) in the Falken Tire / Drift Cave Chevrolet Corvette. Both drivers have been incredibly consistent this season, managing to deliver blistering acceleration from their circa 1000hp missiles, while drifting with controlled aggression between unforgiving walls.

Four of the top six drivers have yet to claim an FD PRO Championship title, making them especially hungry, willing to put everything on the line. But let’s not discount the experience of 2015 FD Champion Fredric Aasbo (Norway) and his potent Rockstar Energy Drink Toyota GR Supra. The Norwegian is currently third, always a threat, and has to be respected.

The same applies to sixth place Vaughn Gittin Jr (USA). As the team leader to DeNofa, Gittin’s Monster Energy Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D is more powerful than the majority of his competitors, and with two titles under his belt from 2010 and 2020, the reigning champ loves to ruin the day for his rivals.

For all the top drivers, success and failure are a whisker away as they attempt to run fast, hard, and uncomfortably close to each other, risking everything for the win. And as the pressure mounts, small mistakes can be brutally punished by the walls expectantly waiting to wreck aspirations in a fraction of a second.

PROSPEC

For the 2021 Formula DRIFT PROSPEC Championship, Round 3 in St. Louis represents the start of the second half of the four-round season. The teams had a six-week summer break to fix, fettle, and fine-tune their vehicles. As the feeder series for the PRO Championship, PROSPEC cars tend to be less powerful, averaging around 600hp. The drivers tend to be less experienced, cutting their teeth on concrete walls before moving up to FD PRO. However, less horsepower and experience doesn’t mean a lack of excitement or commitment. If anything, the PROSPEC drivers have more to prove and will do what it takes to catch the eye of the bigger teams and sponsors.

The Championship currently has two drivers on the same 180 points, led by reigning Champion, Dmitriy Brutskiy (Belarus) who drives the Essa Autosport / ISC Suspension BMW E46. As the 2020 title winner, Brutskiy had the opportunity to join the PRO Championship but decided to remain in PROSPEC and develop his skills. That decision has paid off but he needs to remain consistent to rise above joint leader, Nick Noback (USA) in the KoruWorks BMW E46. However, Noback fully intends to win the title himself, meaning both men need to score points this weekend to take the fight to the Final round in Irwindale.

With two Championship rounds taking place this weekend, fans can satisfy their drift craving as the competition runs late into the night. Visit formulad.com for ticket sales to join what will be a capacity crowd, if the previous 2021 rounds are any indicator of the popularity of the series.

Fans unable to attend can log onto the free-to-view Formula DRIFT livestream. Broadcasts are available for both qualifying and competition heats at every round, and are available via the Formula DRIFT website, the FD YouTube page, or FD Facebook page. Visit the website for the event schedule.

Formula DRIFT is an all-weather, high-horsepower, high-speed sport. Drivers qualify in cars that typically have more than 1000hp, for a position in the Top 32 elimination heats. Drivers drift the course in pairs during competition, with points awarded for angle, line, and style, where proximity and speed are the key ingredients. Teams from around the globe compete in Formula DRIFT, which is the premier drift series in the world.

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August 10, 2021

Formula DRIFT Is Auto Racing’s Hottest New Property

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A vehicle sliding sideways into a corner at 100 mph enveloped in the smoke of burning tires is a far from ideal situation for most drivers. In the sport of Formula DRIFT, it could make you a champion.

Claiming to be the fastest-growing motorsport in America, Formula DRIFT is back for its 2021 season. Based on the drifting that originated in 1970s Japan, each Formula DRIFT event features drivers facing off in a series of intense head-to-head duels. The lead driver tries to hit the best line at the highest speeds, getting close to “clipping points” (trackside markers or designated areas) while maintaining the highest DRIFT angles. Meanwhile, the chase driver is using that lead driver as a moving clipping point and trying to match them turn-by-turn without trading too much paint.

The only motorsport based on judging, the winning drivers are ones chosen as most consistent, aggressive and dominant. And unlike other domestic motorsports, when it rains, they run. In fact, a wet track is just another variable for drivers.The first event of the 2021 season was held at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in May. With an elevation change of nearly six stories and a 1,000-foot entry into the first turn, allowing for lots of acceleration, the course is a favorite of fans and drivers. In addition to the racing, the Atlanta Formula DRIFT event is becoming legendary for its tailgating scene.

After a series of hard-fought runs, Aurima “Odi” Bakchis of Lithuania, at the wheel of a Nissan S15, became the first winner of the season. Bakchis edged out U.S. teammate Matt Field in a Chevrolet Corvette.

“I’m stoked to win, but it was a tough one,” said Bakchis after the race. “We got bumped a lot and had to go through some really tough drivers to get here, but we did it thanks to hard work from the team to get me back out after each tussle.”

With the eight-round season still gearing up, a number of drivers have a legit shot at the October Title Fight in Irwindale, CA. Contenders include last year’s champ, American Vaughn Gittin Jr., driving a Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D, who placed third in Atlanta.

Formula DRIFT’s 2020 season was shortened by COVID restrictions, so organizers are looking forward to more fans back in the grandstands cheering on favorite drivers and getting a whiff of burning tires. For the 2021 Formula DRIFT schedule and livestreaming info, check out formulad.com.

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August 5, 2021

Kyle Strait on the ‘Hillbilly Science’ of Building the Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational Course

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The second annual Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational just went off at Snow Summit Resort in Big Bear Lake, California. Racers from all over were privileged to get down on a world-class dual slalom course masterminded by legendary mountain biker Kyle Strait. If you haven’t seen dual slalom, it’s side-by-side racing on individual sides of a course. A differential is taken from one rider to the next, then racers switch sides and duke it out again, until the top three are standing on the podium.

This year there was a change of venue. Kyle Strait and his wife, Rachel, brought the race from their own backyard to Snow Summit’s resort. Their intention was to expand the race’s potential for mountain biking and protect this specific style of racing—and, boy, did they deliver.

An announcer stands next to Kyle and Rachel Strait, the organizers of the event.
Announcer/competitor Mikey Haderer with Kyle and Rachel Strait right before the final round of competition. Chris Wellhausen

“Last year, we had 20 pro men and 10 pro women competing in the Invitational at our house,” Rachel Strait told Men’s Journal. “The excitement around the event was completely unexpected and inspired us to push hard in 2021 to make it happen again. One concern was the possibility the hype was only there because almost all events were canceled in 2020. With over 200 racers last week, amateurs and pros combined, I think we debunked that theory.”

3 bike racers on the winner's podium holding giant checks above their heads.
The 2021 Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational Mens Pro podium with Tommy Zula in first-place, second going to Joey Foresta, and Dante Silva in third. Chris Wellhausen

The heats were fiercely competitive, with $20,000 on the line. For added insight on the Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational, we spoke to Kyle Strait about building one of the best dual slalom courses of all time, what kind of bike control it takes to win, and pro tips for improving your own riding.

A view from above of the 2nd Annual Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational went off at Snow Summit Resort in Big Bear Lake, California.
The 2nd Annual Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational at Snow Summit Resort Chris Wellhausen

Men’s Journal: Why did you partner with Snow Summit, and where did the inspiration for your dual slalom course come from?

Kyle Strait: Partnering gives the Invitational a bigger canvas to grow, allowing us to build the best tracks possible. Summit was super down when I presented them the idea. They wanted to be a big player in it. I’m grateful for the area we have to work with, the machines, and staff. It was beyond incredible to have five to six dudes every day building a sick track. The inspiration stems from a lot of my global dual-slalom experiences. Most of these features are ones I’ve ridden over time…I just changed them in ways to be better.

Two bike racers on the track.
A battle between powerhouses, as Kyle Strait is challenged by Cole Suetos. Chris Wellhausen

What makes the best dual slalom courses?

The best dual slalom courses have a diverse mixture of obstacles. Too much of one thing is not as much fun. Going out of the start gate [of the 2021 Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational], the first straight is very BMX, going into a MTB style—tight, kind of backyard pump track—and from there it goes into a super-fast freeride; we have a hole into a huge roller you can scrub. The rest of the course flows similarly with rhythm sections: deep berms until you get into flat corners that have a series of slalom gate bashes—each one with one-foot drops—that brings you right into the finish line.

Does architecture come into play, or are you really just basing the course design off riding and building experience?

I like to call it hillbilly science. It’s just skills learned over many years of trial and error, seeing what works, what doesn’t. I can visually look at something and tell it looks great or if adjustments are needed.

Two bike racers race through a dual track course.
Dylan Stark and Devin Kjaer railing turns deep in the pockets of these berms. Chris Wellhausen

Why are the berms so deep?

You have a fixed point of entry and exit. The only thing you can really do is make the berm steeper to hold your tires better. You can see it in NASCAR and freeway off-and-on ramp design. You start putting a little grade to that, and all of a sudden you get more traction, more down force. That goes across the board with dual slalom courses. The steeper the berms are, the faster we can go through them, and still hold traction. I enjoy hitting berms like that because sometimes there’s a limit on a trail and you’re only able to be so fast because you only get so much traction. With steep berms, it just creates more traction and downforce.

What bike control necessities does it take to win a dual slalom race specifically?

The track is only a 30-second sprint, so you can’t make any mistakes; your accuracy must be on point, all day, every single run. Pinpoint skills must be tip-top. Accuracy and consistency are crucial keys with slalom, because you’re doing so many runs. By the time you get to the finals, you’ve done 12-plus runs. No matter if you’re the fastest guy of the day or a qualifier, you must make it through all the rounds. It’s not just having mental confidence; you can’t make any mistakes.

How is it a brake game? You never hear tires skid or lock up.

Certain berms have a speed limit, so you must adjust your speed accordingly. If you’re braking front and rear evenly, that’s how you slow down the fastest and keep the most control. I like to explain in coaching that if you’re skidding, you’re not in control, and you have less traction. If you can cut your brake time in half, brake harder in the correct spots, you have more traction and more control at the right times.

Two bicycle racers on a dual course.
Joey Foresta holds a slim lead on Devin Kjaer at the Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational. Chris Wellhausen

Explain what a scrub is—and how the hell you control your bike to scrub so well?!

Your main objective is to scrub speed. A lot of times, when you’re setting up to a jump or feature, you’re coming in with too much speed. If you don’t scrub it, you go way past the landing. What you’re trying to do is scrub your speed without scrubbing too much, so you can still land on the backside of said feature. It all comes from motocross background, where Bubba Stewart learned to do that over the triple. It directly translates to MTB.

The way you go about doing one is to combine speed and commitment, a little extra speed than you would if you were going to jump the feature. I aim for one side of the jump and lean my bike and body as low as possible. From there, the bike whips out. Once you’re in the air, it allows the bike to go sideways. Now your goal is obviously to land straight to be able to continue on the trail. It’s something that’s learned over time and lots of practice… falling down, sliding out.

Two bike racers jump high above the course.
“It was definitely an awesome feeling to race against Kyle. The strength and experience this guy has is insane and it was an absolute privilege to line up next to him at his event,” said Cole Suetos. Chris Wellhausen

What’s your opinion on jumping in head-to-head competition?

It’s way faster to jump but stay low in, say, that five-roller section than it is to roll, because you can only go so fast rolling. That’s when it’s the case of jumping or gapping versus rolling and doing a manual.

What bike parts do you depend on most when racing dual slalom?

It’s always a combination, but I’m a suspension guy. For slalom, you need a supercross kind of setup—as opposed to motocross—because of how hard they’re hitting the jumps. For me it’s getting my suspension to where I can push really hard to hit those corners. If the suspension isn’t stiff enough, you kind of wallow out; it gets low and you can’t hold a correct line. Same thing goes for jumping and flat corners. I set my suspension to where it has a small bump of sensitivity to keep traction in those flat corners, but is hard enough for those corners and jumps. With all that mixed together plus tire choice and a seven-speed drivetrain, because I’m just blasting off gears and putting a lot power into the pedals.

Bike racer Kyle Strait on track at the Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational.
Kyle Strait rides a berm at the Strait Acres Dual Slalom Invitational. Chris Wellhausen

What gear are you rocking?

Tires: Kenda Pinner in front and Booster on rear tire.
Wheels: Stans No Tubes Flow MK3
Suspension: Rock Shock 140mm Pike fork, Rock Shock Super Deluxe in rear
Drivetrain: SRAM XO1 DH
Frame: Commencal Meta TR29
Grips: Sensus Meaty Paws
Bars: Signature SRAM bars cut down to 760mm
Shoes: Ride Concepts Kyle Strait
Seat: SDG Bel-Air III 

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July 13, 2021

Chelsea Denofa Wins Inaugural Formula Drift Pro Round at Lake Erie Speedway

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The hot new Formula DRIFT racing series is still blazing with round four of the Pro Championship debuting at the refreshed Lake Erie Speedway in North East, PA. American Chelsea DeNofa won after pressuring the overall points leader Matt Field in the No. 777 Chevrolet Corvette to over-correct through the sweeping Outside Zone 2 turn, leading to an unfortunate off-track excursion.


 

DeNofa—in the BC Racing/Nitto Tire/Ford Mustang—was able to mount the top spot on the podium after the overall race leader, Norwegian Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy Drink Toyota GR Supra, was disqualified when failing to fix a broken rear suspension in the allotted time out for repairs.

DeNofa’s teammate Vaughn Gittin Jr., in the Monster Energy Ford Mustang, previously lost to Aasbo, driving the Rockstar Energy Drink Toyota GR Supra, after over-rotating in Outside Zone 3, droning the second semi-final, which forced him to lift and straighten, ending his drift. DeNofa, as the first driver to win two rounds this year, shot up from fourth in the Formula DRIFT Pro Championship rankings to second behind Field, who now has a narrow 19-point lead.

“I’d actually been here about 13 years ago, so it was cool to see the track layout from behind the wheel of an insanely well set-up car,“ DeNofa said after the podium ceremony. “I didn’t know what to expect but the fans were amazing, packed in, tuned-in to everything—they were pumped to have us here and we were pumped to be at the track.”

Round 5 Up Next


With Aasbo finishing second, he held onto third place in the FD PRO Championship, while Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis (Lithuania) in the Falken Tire/Feal Suspension Nissan S15 dropped to fourth. Top rookie finisher was Josh Reynolds (USA) who put his Drift Force/Nexen Tire F22 Eurofighter BMW into 19th place.

Jim Liaw, Formula DRIFT president, said after the race that, “We’re very happy to have added this amazing facility in the Great Lakes area to the 2021 Formula DRIFT schedule. The crowd came from across the Mid-West and Eastern Seaboard, and we’re hoping to see Canadian visitors once the borders open up. We’ve built a great foundation here for years to come in terms of the close competition we can expect and engagement with the fans. I really hope they enjoyed the inaugural Formula DRIFT event at Lake Erie Speedway—it certainly looked as if they did—and we have tremendous opportunities to grow from here.”

The New Course

The 3/8-mile oval Lake Erie Speedway is popular with local drift racers, but was totally new to the majority of Formula DRIFT Pro drivers. To ensure high-speed action, Formula DRIFT created a new course layout for the teams, providing three sweeping Outside Zones that rewarded smoothness while allowing the spectators to enjoy the close proximity of the cars during the tandem competition runs.

“I really hope they enjoyed the inaugural Formula DRIFT event at Lake Erie Speedway—it certainly looked as if they did—and we have tremendous opportunities to grow from here,” Liaw added. “We’ll evaluate how everything went and see how we can make the 2022 event even stronger!”

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July 12, 2021

Marco Andretti Gets First SRX Series Win in Close Finish Against Local Legend

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The penultimate race of the Camping World SRX Series came to a dramatic conclusion on July 10, with veteran driver Marco Andretti beating 17-year-old Luke Fenhaus and series leader Tony Stewart to secure the first SRX Series win of his career. After the race at Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin, Andretti is now third in the SRX standings behind Stewart and Ernie Francis Jr., who won the previous race at Lucas Oil Speedway in Indianapolis.


 

The race’s final lap was an epic battle between Andretti, a third generation race car driver (he’s the grandson of famed Italian driver Mario Andretti and the son of Michael Andretti, another accomplished racer) and a young, local upstart, Fenhaus. After a late-race restart, the two battled through the final lap before Andretti edged out the younger driver for the win. After, Andretti heaped praise on Fenhaus, who’s a rising senior at Wausau East High School in Wisconsin.

“I’m so proud of [Fenhaus],” Andretti said after the event. “I’m trying to learn from him, to be honest with you. I know it’s not a popular win, but us old guys have to get it when we can. He’s young, he’s got a lot of time ahead of him. I had so much fun.”

The final lap at Slinger Speedway did not disappoint. 👏👏 Marco Andretti wins his first race after holding off local legend Luke Fenhaus! https://t.co/kBsf8HZ0mK


It was a bit of a disappointment for Fenhaus, however. He entered Saturday’s event coming off a historic victory at the Slinger Nationals, where he became the youngest driver to win the event in its 42-year history. At the SRX Series race at Slinger, he started second and led for most of the 150-lap race (92 laps), and his biggest challenge came from Tony Stewart. But a late-race crash by Hailee Deegan and Paul Tracy triggered a restart:

Once racing resumed, Andretti pounced, sailing past Fenhaus for the lead, which he held through the final lap. Even so, Fenhaus was happy with the race overall.

“I loved every minute of it,” he said. “It’s unreal to race against these guys. They’re so good at what they do.”

The inaugural six-race SRX Series will come to a close at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on July 17. Looking at Series-wide standings, Tony Stewart leads the pack with 199 points so far, but second place is a toss-up: After his win on Saturday, Andretti is just six points behind Ernie Francis Jr. We’ll see if he can close the gap in Nashville.

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