Late to Grid - Grassroots Racing

From Daytona Dreams to HPDE Reality: Rory Gamble’s Motorsports Journey

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1573798/fan_mail/new] What does it take to go from watching the Daytona 500 as a kid to driving your own BMW on track and becoming deeply involved in the motorsports community? In this episode of Late To Grid, we sit down with Rory Gamble to discuss his motorsports journey, which began with one of the most memorable Daytona 500 finishes in NASCAR history. Rory shares how a childhood passion for racing evolved into rental karting, track days, HPDE events, and eventually owning and tracking a BMW M2 and E46. We dive into the emotional side of racing, the importance of preparation before your first track day, the value of mentors and instructors, and how organizations like NASA and the broader motorsports community help newcomers succeed. Rory also shares lessons learned from his first experiences at Mid-Ohio, the challenges of getting started, and why grassroots racing remains one of the most welcoming areas of the motorsports industry. Whether you're considering your first HPDE event, building a track car, exploring autocross, or simply love hearing stories about how people found their way into racing, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration. If you've ever wondered whether you should take your car to a track day, this conversation may be the push you need to get started. 🏁 Topics Covered: * Motorsports journey and racing inspiration * The 2007 Daytona 500 and becoming a racing fan * Rental karting and early motorsports experiences * Buying and tracking a BMW M2 * First HPDE experience at Mid-Ohio * NASA HPDE programs and driver development * Grassroots racing culture * Building confidence behind the wheel * Lessons for new track day drivers * The importance of community in motorsports Looking to get your car ready for the track? Atomic Autosports helps drivers maximize reliability, performance, and confidence whether you're heading to your first HPDE, autocross event, or endurance race. Contact us to learn how we can help support your motorsports journey. Want faster laps and fewer headaches at the track? Atomic Autosports helps grassroots racers go from “I hope this works” to “I know this works.”  From alignment and suspension tuning to track-day prep, Atomic Autosports is here to help you drive smarter, safer, and quicker. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start progressing, learn more at atomicautosports.http://www.atomicautosports.com [http://www.atomicautosports.com]com If you’re serious about getting faster, start at AtomicAutosports.com [https://atomicautosports.com/] where you can find guides, information, and even connect with us to make sure that your motorsports journey stays on track.  You know me as the host of Late To Grid, but my biggest shift wasn't on the track, it was leaving corporate life to own a Rad Air location. It gave me the freedom to turn my passion for cars into a career and actually get to the track more often. Ready to own your future? Visit radairfranchise.com [http://radairfranchise.com/] and let’s get you living life in the fast lane. Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing.  The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.  Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website [https://atomicautosports.com/late-to-grid/].

NASA Time Trials: Data, Setup & Seat Time with Darek Koman

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1573798/fan_mail/new] You asked for it, and we’re delivering it: a deep dive into NASA Time Trials with Darek Koman from NASA Great Lakes. In this episode of Late To Grid, Darek joins us in the Atomic Autosports studio to talk about his motorsports journey from HPDE, autocross, and track days into NASA Time Trials and wheel-to-wheel Super Touring competition. If you’ve ever wondered how to move from simply turning laps to competing against the clock, this one is for you. We dig into why Time Trials is such a powerful stepping stone in motorsports, especially for drivers who want competition without immediately jumping into a fully caged race car. Darek shares how he uses track time to experiment with tire pressures, dampers, sway bars, alignment, driving lines, data, and the all-important “butt dyno.” Yes, it’s technical. Yes, it’s useful. And yes, your car may still decide the differential is no longer interested in differential-ing. This episode covers: * How Darek got started through NASA HPDE and Time Trials * Why Time Trials is a smart bridge between track days and wheel-to-wheel racing * How to use data to understand where you are gaining or losing time * Why tire temperatures, setup notes, and weather conditions matter * The value of using every session you paid for * Why rain sessions are some of the best car-control training available * The community side of grassroots motorsports and NASA Great Lakes * How a street car can evolve into a serious track or race car Whether you are new to HPDE, chasing faster lap times in Time Trials, building a track car, or considering your next step in grassroots racing, this episode is packed with practical advice from someone who has lived the progression. Want faster laps and fewer headaches at the track? Atomic Autosports helps grassroots racers go from “I hope this works” to “I know this works.”  From alignment and suspension tuning to track-day prep, Atomic Autosports is here to help you drive smarter, safer, and quicker. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start progressing, learn more at atomicautosports.http://www.atomicautosports.com [http://www.atomicautosports.com]com If you’re serious about getting faster, start at AtomicAutosports.com [https://atomicautosports.com/] where you can find guides, information, and even connect with us to make sure that your motorsports journey stays on track.  You know me as the host of Late To Grid, but my biggest shift wasn't on the track, it was leaving corporate life to own a Rad Air location. It gave me the freedom to turn my passion for cars into a career and actually get to the track more often. Ready to own your future? Visit radairfranchise.com [http://radairfranchise.com/] and let’s get you living life in the fast lane. Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing.  The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.  Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website [https://atomicautosports.com/late-to-grid/].

How a Bet Built Three Balls Racing | Ken Grulich’s Track Day Journey

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1573798/fan_mail/new] How does a bet between friends turn into one of the Midwest’s best-known track day organizations? In this episode of Late To Grid, Bill sits down in the Atomic Autosports studio with Ken Grulich of Three Balls Racing to talk about his motorsports journey, the origin of Three Balls Racing, and what drivers can do to make their next track day smoother, safer, and a whole lot more fun. Ken shares how his love for speed started with his dad, sand dunes, motorcycles, quads, and three-wheelers before eventually leading him to road course driving. What started as a challenge between friends involving a 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo, a 1969 big block Corvette, and a track rental at Gingerman Raceway  grew into a grassroots track day organization that now hosts events at tracks like Gingerman Raceway, Grattan Raceway, Waterford Hills, and Mid-Ohio. This conversation is packed with advice for new and experienced drivers, including why you should talk to people in the paddock, why video can make you faster, why showing up late to a track day can ruin more than your schedule, and what tools and spares you should bring before your next HPDE or track day. Ken also shares one of the wildest bucket-list stories from a Three Balls Racing event and explains why comfort, confidence, seat position, preparation, and community matter just as much as horsepower. If you’re interested in motorsports, track days, HPDE, grassroots racing, autocross, endurance racing, racing teams, or building your own motorsports journey, this episode is for you Want faster laps and fewer headaches at the track? Atomic Autosports helps grassroots racers go from “I hope this works” to “I know this works.”  From alignment and suspension tuning to track-day prep, Atomic Autosports is here to help you drive smarter, safer, and quicker. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start progressing, learn more at atomicautosports.http://www.atomicautosports.com [http://www.atomicautosports.com]com If you’re serious about getting faster, start at AtomicAutosports.com [https://atomicautosports.com/] where you can find guides, information, and even connect with us to make sure that your motorsports journey stays on track.  You know me as the host of Late To Grid, but my biggest shift wasn't on the track, it was leaving corporate life to own a Rad Air location. It gave me the freedom to turn my passion for cars into a career and actually get to the track more often. Ready to own your future? Visit radairfranchise.com [http://radairfranchise.com/] and let’s get you living life in the fast lane. Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing.  The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.  Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website [https://atomicautosports.com/late-to-grid/].

High School Racing Is REAL?! The Future of Grassroots Motorsports

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1573798/fan_mail/new] What sport did you letter in during high school… and why wasn’t it racing? 😄 In this episode, Bill sits down with Jonathan Eckelberg to talk about one of the most promising “future of grassroots racing” stories out there: the High School Racing Association (HSRA). It's a program that helps high school students get involved in local short track racing, build real-world skills, and (in some schools) earn official recognition like letters and jackets. Jonathan’s racing roots run deep; he grew up at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway watching his dad race, jumped into the Hornet division as soon as he was old enough, and went on to race for 17 seasons, including years in pro late models (with some legendary post-race Pabst stories along the way). Eventually, life priorities changed and he hung up the helmet...right as he stepped into a new role that keeps him in the sport: HSRA Series Director. From there, the conversation gets into what HSRA really is and why it matters: *  Why racing can be a perfect fit for students who don’t connect with traditional stick-and-ball sports  *  How HSRA mixes hands-on automotive work with STEM, marketing, communication, and teamwork *  Why tracks are getting involved (and why it’s urgent as the average pit/stand age climbs)  *  How HSRA reaches schools through auto programs, tech ed, and athletics/activity directors *  The biggest barriers for new families (cost, tools, storage, truck/trailer) and how the program helps connect them with resources and mentors  *  What “success” looks like when HSRA students graduate out and move up into other divisions  Jonathan also shares what he’s most proud of: watching brand-new families enter motorsports for the first time, then build confidence, community, and a pathway that can stick with them for life. Learn more about HSRA here: https://highschoolracing.org/ [https://highschoolracing.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]   Question for you: If your high school offered racing as a sport, would you have joined as a driver, crew, media/marketing, or sponsor-hunter?  Want faster laps and fewer headaches at the track? Atomic Autosports helps grassroots racers go from “I hope this works” to “I know this works.”  From alignment and suspension tuning to track-day prep, Atomic Autosports is here to help you drive smarter, safer, and quicker. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start progressing, learn more at atomicautosports.http://www.atomicautosports.com [http://www.atomicautosports.com]com If you’re serious about getting faster, start at AtomicAutosports.com [https://atomicautosports.com/] where you can find guides, information, and even connect with us to make sure that your motorsports journey stays on track.  You know me as the host of Late To Grid, but my biggest shift wasn't on the track, it was leaving corporate life to own a Rad Air location. It gave me the freedom to turn my passion for cars into a career and actually get to the track more often. Ready to own your future? Visit radairfranchise.com [http://radairfranchise.com/] and let’s get you living life in the fast lane. Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing.  The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.  Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website [https://atomicautosports.com/late-to-grid/].

Right to Race: How to Save Your Local Track Before It’s Too Late

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1573798/fan_mail/new] What happens when your favorite race track suddenly disappears? In this episode of the Late to Grid Podcast, we sit down with Christian Robinson from SEMA and PRI’s Government Affairs team to break down one of the most important issues in motorsports today: Right to Race legislation. If you’re involved in autocross, track days, endurance racing, or grassroots motorsports, this is a conversation you can’t afford to miss. We dive into how legislation is actively shaping the future of racing and how local tracks across the country are being threatened by development, lawsuits, and regulatory pressure. Christian shares behind-the-scenes insight into how SEMA and PRI are fighting to protect the $69B motorsports industry and the small businesses that keep it alive. You’ll also learn: * What “Right to Race” actually means (and why it’s simpler than you think) * Why grassroots race tracks are disappearing * How legislation moves through state government * Real examples of laws that almost shut down racing * What YOU can do right now to protect your local track This episode isn’t just about policy, it’s about preserving the motorsports journey for future drivers, teams, and fans. You need to get involved! Go to: https://www.semahq.org/campaigns/right-to-race Want faster laps and fewer headaches at the track? Atomic Autosports helps grassroots racers go from “I hope this works” to “I know this works.”  From alignment and suspension tuning to track-day prep, Atomic Autosports is here to help you drive smarter, safer, and quicker. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start progressing, learn more at atomicautosports.http://www.atomicautosports.com [http://www.atomicautosports.com]com If you’re serious about getting faster, start at AtomicAutosports.com [https://atomicautosports.com/] where you can find guides, information, and even connect with us to make sure that your motorsports journey stays on track.  You know me as the host of Late To Grid, but my biggest shift wasn't on the track, it was leaving corporate life to own a Rad Air location. It gave me the freedom to turn my passion for cars into a career and actually get to the track more often. Ready to own your future? Visit radairfranchise.com [http://radairfranchise.com/] and let’s get you living life in the fast lane. Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing.  The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.  Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website [https://atomicautosports.com/late-to-grid/].