Off The Racing Line

Motorsports has never been more visible. Formula 1 is booming, brands are pouring money into premium experiences, and race tracks are becoming high-end destinations. But beneath the glamour, something is breaking. In Episode 32 of Off The Racing Line, creative director, brand strategist, driver coach, and instructor Sean Yuksel joins us for a candid conversation about what he calls motorsports’ “m...

Nicole Hecker joins EP31 of Off The Racing Line for a raw and honest conversation about what it’s really like being a woman in grassroots racing. From getting started in motorsports to dealing with criticism, confidence, crashes, pressure, and the constant need to prove herself, Nicole shares the realities behind the helmet that most people never see. This episode dives into the culture of grassro...

In Episode 30 of Off The Racing Line , we go inside Ferrari Challenge with Tony Qian — a former professional racing driver and the former leader of Ferrari North America’s motorsports driving programs and racing school . This episode pulls back the curtain on one of the most exclusive forms of amateur racing in the world. We talk about the real cost of competing in Ferrari Challenge , the role of...

In Episode 29 of Off The Racing Line, we sit down with Mateo Siderman, a former Division I football wide receiver who made one of the wildest transitions in motorsports: from the football field to racing Lamborghinis in Super Trofeo North America Series. In just a few short years, Mateo has gone from grassroots endurance racing to winning races at legendary tracks like Indianapolis, Laguna Seca, a...

From a wheelchair to a self-made millionaire — Chip Van Vurst’s story is about one thing: refusing to quit. At 18 years old, Chip was in a devastating motorcycle accident that left him in a wheelchair for three years. Later in life, he faced four brain tumors , multiple surgeries, and moments that would have broken most people. On top of that, he’s built companies… lost companies… and rebuilt agai...

In Episode 27 of Off The Racing Line, we break down everything you need to know to get started in High Performance Driving Events (HPDE), or "Track Days". If you’ve ever thought: “I’m not ready yet…” “I need more horsepower…” “I don’t want to damage my car…” This episode is for you. We sit down with Chris Howard, who made the jump from autocross to road course driving and was signed off...

In Episode 26 of Off The Racing Line , we sit down with Frankie Barroso , a talented young racer competing in Spec Miata and Pro Spec Miata , to talk about one of the toughest realities in motorsports: being talented… but still overlooked. Many drivers have the speed. Very few get the opportunity. Frankie opens up about the frustration of being nominated multiple times for the Mazda Shootout , yet...

Jim Drago is a racer’s racer. A Spec Miata legend. A 13-time SCCA National Champion. And a man who nearly didn’t make it back to the track. Owner of East Street Racing, one of the most dominant Spec Miata programs in the country, Jim has built some of the fastest and most technically refined SM cars in America. Known for surgical consistency and deep mechanical knowledge, he’s feared by rivals and...

EP 24 | Charles Espenlaub — Endurance Wins, Survival, and the Cost of Racing at the Highest LevelIn this episode of Off The Racing Line, we sit down with Charles Espenlaub, one of the most accomplished and quietly respected endurance racers in modern motorsports. Charles has won at the highest levels of international endurance racing, including an overall victory in the 24H Series, back-to-back wi...

At just 20 years old, Westin Workman is already one of the most formidable rising stars in American motorsports. A 2x national karting champion, Spec MX-5 scholarship winner, 2023 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout champion, 2024 MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year, and 2025 Toyota GR Cup Champion, Westin is proving, fast, that he’s built for the top. Flying in from NC, he joins us trackside at Homestead-Miami Speed...

SCCA Spec Miata Drivers: Is the Garage iD Pro Spec Miata Series the Next Step? In Episode 22 of Off The Racing Line, we sit down with Todd Buras, Senter Smith, and Trace Hance to unpack what may be the most important structural shift in the Spec Miata ecosystem in years. This conversation breaks down three interconnected pillars shaping the future of grassroots racing:🔧 Garage ID Prospect Miata S...

EP21: What does it really take to become a pro racing driver at just 19? We sit down with Noah Harmon, the 2024 Mazda Shootout winner, IMSA MX-5 Cup rookie standout, Trans Am driver, and full-time UCF student balancing two lives at once. Noah didn’t start karting until age 14, which in motorsports is practically adulthood. But in five short years he went from late starter… to racing wheel-to-wheel...

EP20 with Justin Levine: Army veteran. Paratrooper. Attorney. GT1-B racer. Justin’s story isn’t just about cars, it’s about grit, discipline, and the long road to becoming who you’re meant to be. In this episode, Justin walks us through his journey from combat missions in Afghanistan, to surviving law school on a shoestring budget, to using student loans and VA benefits just to afford seat time at...

EP19 - Life on Borrowed Time: Racing, Leukemia and Legacy with Jesse Gröse . In this powerful episode, professional racer and coach Jesse Gröse shares how a diagnosis of T-Cell Leukemia in his early 30s changed everything — his health, his career, and his purpose. From hospital beds to podiums, Jesse’s story is a masterclass in perseverance, resilience, and rediscovering what truly matters. Before...

Racing, Cocaine, and the 1980s IMSA Underworld — The Ken Behr StoryIn the 1980s, South Florida’s racing scene was fueled by more than just gasoline. Our guest, Ken Behr, was a race car driver who also ran tons of marijuana and cocaine through the same networks that bankrolled parts of IMSA and Road Atlanta. In this episode, Ken reveals how drug money powered his racing career, the reality of smugg...

Episode 17 – Kaelyn Kinley: The 16-Year-Old Racer Teaching Adults How to Drive In this episode of Off The Racing Line, we sit down with Kaelyn Kinley, a third-generation racer who started driving at just five years old. Now, at sixteen, she’s racing Spec Miata with SCCA and FARA, serving as an HPDE instructor for FARA, and even mentoring other young drivers. We talk about growing up at the track,...

Episode 16 – Jack Hobbs: The Future of College Racing (Victory Lane Edition) Recorded on location at Homestead-Miami Speedway, this Victory Lane Edition of Off The Racing Line features Jack Hobbs, founder of the Collegiate Racing Series (CRS) — the sanctioning body connecting students, universities, and motorsport organizations to shape the future of competitive racing. We dive into Jack’s journey...

Episode 15 – Sebring 12 Hours: When Backyard Builders Could Race Next to Legends, with Rennie Bryant. Rennie Bryant has done it all — from racing SCCA in the ’70s, running the 12 Hours of Sebring, and co-driving with Randy Pobst, to taking 3rd in the BMW Club Racing national championship. He’s also spent 50 years at Redline Bimmer Performance, a BMW shop he now owns and runs, and today serves as p...

Episode 14 – Dan Dombrowski: Endurance Racing & The Next GenerationIn this episode of Off The Racing Line, we sit down with Dan Dombrowski — racer, instructor, and Champcar competitor. Dan shares how he started in an E46 BMW 330, the grind of endurance racing, and why Champcar is as much about strategy and survival as it is about speed. We dive into the highs and heartbreaks of 12- and 24-hour...

Episode 13 – Hal Gould: Breaking 200 MPH: My McLaren Hit 203 On a 3-Mile RunwayIn this episode of Off The Racing Line, we sit down with Hal Gould — a driver who went from car-indifferent college kid to full-blown racer. Hal shares how the AMG Performance School with Shane Lewis lit the spark, his time at Lucas Oil Racing School, and what it’s like racing everything from exotics to FARA’s Super Lap...

Episode 12 – Victory Lane Edition: “Tow Hook” Kelly & Rob Garza We’re back at Homestead-Miami Speedway for another Victory Lane Edition of Off The Racing Line. This time, we sit down with two very different racers on the same grid: James “Kelly” Ganjei and veteran driver Rob Garza. Kelly shares the deeply moving story behind the Cupcake Racing name — a tribute to his daughter. It’s a moment th...

Episode 11 – Brian Blash: From Car Meets to Track Culture We’re back with Episode 11 of Off The Racing Line, recorded after an insane run of six trackside episodes. This time, we sit down with Brian Blash to dig into the crossroads between car meet culture and track culture. From the rise (and fall) of BMW meetups to why most enthusiasts never make the jump to track days, Brian doesn’t hold back....

🏁 Victory Lane Edition – EP10 🏁 Live from Homestead-Miami Speedway, we sit down with father-son duo Peter & Joseph Saddington for a special trackside edition of Off The Racing Line. At just 12 years old, Joseph became the youngest driver to complete FARA’s official competition/racing school, and this weekend, he’s making his debut in the Pro Spec Miata series. Starting in competitive karting...

EP9 - The Fred Flintstone Tech That Created a National Autocross Champion, David Schnoerr What do you get when you mix a 72-year-old track junkie, two national autocross championships, an FIA racing license, and decades of wild pace car stories? You get David Schnoerr — and you get one hell of an episode. From his early days navigating “slalom competitions” in Panama to mentoring the next generati...

Porsche Junkie Fights Trolls: They Think I'm A 45-Year-Old Man - EP9 with Jen Torres This week, we sit down with Jenn Torres—a Porsche enthusiast, long-distance road trip junkie, and the woman behind the wheel (and the canvas) of some of the car world’s boldest stories. From driving an Aston Martin daily to getting mistaken for a 45-year-old man online, Jenn brings unfiltered energy, wild stories,...