CONCORD, N.C. — In racing, like many things, the future can often be found in the past.
No, we’re not talking about old race cars, old race tracks or old rules. We’re talking about old names.
Think about it. How many of racing’s top stars come from families that have been racing for generations? We’re not just talking about NASCAR, but all forms of motorsports.
Chase Elliott is a perfect example. Racing is in the 23-year-old Elliott’s blood. Everyone is familiar with his father, 1988 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bill Elliott. Bill Elliott’s brothers, Ernie and Dan, were heavily involved in the sport. We also can’t forget the late Casey Elliott, Chase’s cousin who died in 1996 after a battle with cancer.
That’s just one example and there are so many more in NASCAR. Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Austin and Ty Dillon and Corey LaJoie all have relatives who raced in one form or another, leading them to become racers in their own right.
[subscribers_only]
One also cannot forget names such as Petty, Allison, Earnhardt, Jarrett and Wallace, among others. Each of those families had multiple generations of racers and most are still active in motorsports in one form or another.
As we noted, this phenomenon isn’t limited to NASCAR. It is found in almost every form of motorsports.
There are multiple generations of sprint car racers competing with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. Among them is Sheldon Haudenschild, son of the “Wild Child” Jac Haudenschild, who has the same habit that his father has to run the top side of the track when most other competitors avoid it like the plague.
One also can’t mention the World of Outlaws without noting Bobby Allen and his two drivers, his son, Jacob Allen, and his grandson, Logan Schuchart. The three are among the most loved competitors on the World of Outlaws circuit for their hard-working attitude and dedication.
Last but most certainly not least, you can’t talk about sprint car racing families without mentioning the Kinser clan. The late Bob Kinser was the first to venture into sprint car racing and was followed by his sons, Steve and Randy, as well as his grandson, Kraig.
A shift to dirt late models brings us to the O’Neal clan. Don O’Neal, a former Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion, handed down his love for racing to his son, Hudson. The pair now travels with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, racing against each other on a regular basis.
Major league drag racing also has its own racing families. The biggest of which is the Force family, led by patriarch John Force. His three daughters — Ashley, Courtney and Brittney — have raced at the top level of the NHRA and Brittney even won the NHRA Top Fuel crown in 2017. There’s also the Schumacher clan, led by team owner and former driver Don Schumacher and his son, eight-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher.
Indy car racing is full of familiar names. Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, Conor Daly and Colton Herta all come from racing families that have enjoyed success on the grandest of stages.
Even in Formula One, there is a history of families competing at the highest level. The Piquets, Rosbergs, Fittipaldis — and more recently the Verstappens — are a few examples.
There are many familiar names with a new generation of driver on the verge of hitting the big time.
One who comes to mind is Pietro Fittipaldi. The grandson of Emerson Fittipaldi and cousin of Christian Fittipaldi has made a name for himself in multiple forms of motorsports. He is now a reserve driver for the Haas F1 Team.
Pietro’s young brother, Enzo, is also on the path to becoming a motorsports star. He captured the Italian F-4 championship in 2018 and is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
In the world of stock car racing, there are several young drivers with familiar names climbing the ranks. Among them are John Hunter Nemechek, Harrison Burton and Todd Gilliland. Digging a little deeper, one finds Hailie Deegan, daughter of off-road star Brian Deegan; Thad Moffitt, the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty; and Jagger Jones, grandson of 1963 Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones and son of Rolex 24 winner P.J. Jones.
We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention the Scelzi family. Gary Scelzi was a successful competitor in the NHRA, winning Funny Car and Top Fuel titles during his driving days. His sons, Dominic and Giovanni, have followed in their father’s footsteps by becoming winning sprint car drivers.
There are many more examples that we could give, but sooner or later we’d run out of space. The fact is: Racing is a family sport. From local dirt tracks to historic road courses, drag strips and superspeedways, it’s common to find family ties to motorsports that run deeper than roots on trees.
If you’re looking for the future of motorsports, it may be best to try looking to the past.
[/subscribers_only]