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AUTOGuide ANTON
AUGUST 21 - 27, 2019
A Racer’s Life NYU student splits time between the racetrack and the classroom
BY JOSEPH WOLKIN
jwolkin@antonmediagroup.com
R (Photos by Harold Hinson Photography)
acing is Joe Graf Jr.’s life. There is nothing more exhilarating than strapping into a powerful racecar. What better way to spend a weekend away from the hectic life of a college student? “The biggest thing I’ve had to learn is time management,” Graf said. “I had to learn to be disciplined with my time.” Graf, who hails from Mahwah, NJ, is entering his sophomore year at New York
University (NYU) as a business media and sports management student. His journey into the professional world of stock car racing started last year. At the wry age of 19, this NYU student was speeding through racetracks at 200 mph on the weekends, turning a partial schedule into a full-time effort in the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR’s version of single-A. He started running quite well, finishing near the top of the leaderboard week-in and week-out for Chad
see JOE GRAF on page 18A
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18A AUGUST 21 - 27, 2019 • ANTON AUTO GUIDE
FULL RUN
Joe Graf Jr. (No. 77) during the General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, AL.
JOE GRAF from page 17A
and communications department throughout the spring of Bryant Racing, a brand-new 2019. The journey with RCR team at the time. That didn’t will not only help his racing bother Graf, who excelled on career, but it will excel his the track. academic life, too. Eventually, Graf entered the “I helped the team with winner’s circle. Just 16 races public relations,” Graf said. “I into his ARCA career, the New helped with different things Jersey native captured the they were doing for other drivtriumph at Berlin Raceway in ers, not even myself. I didn’t Michigan. The victory caught run a race until the internship the attention of Richard was almost over. When I Childress, the legendary wasn’t running ARCA or NASCAR team owner who Xfinity, I helped the engineers fielded cars for the late Dale out anyway that I could. I also Earnhardt. sat in on the driver debriefs Not only did Graf sign a and wrote analysis papers on multi-race deal with Richard that.” Childress Racing (RCR) for the Of course, with the job 2019 Xfinity Series season, but comes plenty of pressure. The he inked an internship that organization is celebrating would go hand-in-hand with its 50th anniversary this year, his college experience as well. and that means expectations “It’s been a learning experi- are even higher than usual. ence for sure,” he said. “It’s been Teammate Tyler Reddick is tremendous to work with a battling for a championship, team of this caliber. The history and Graf wants to celebrate in this team has is incredible.” victory lane, too. Graf took a semester off from “It’s unbelievable to have dorm life at NYU and moved to this opportunity,” Graf said. North Carolina, working with “I can’t thank him enough for the organization’s marketing everything he’s done for me.”
While interning in North Carolina, Graf also took a pair of online classes to meet his course requirements so he can graduate on time. Essentially, he was racing for two teams, doing an internship and taking classes—all in just a
and finished 19th on that day. But the journey into NASCAR’s top rankings didn’t come easy. He took a gap year after graduating high school to focus on racing. When he moved to New York City, it was difficult to manage time between school and working with his team. Graf started racing when he just was 10 years old. He thoroughly moved up through the rankings at local short tracks prior to making It’s been his ARCA debut in 2018. tremendous to work While chasing his dream is with a team of this important, he understands the caliber. The history value of graduating from one this team has is of America’s most prestigious incredible. institutions. “I don’t plan on not going to —Joe Graf Jr. school,” he said. Now, he’s going back to three-month span. campus. He’ll live the life of On June 16, Graf made a college student once again, his official NASCAR debut, not just the already-hectic one competing in RCR’s No. 21 of a racecar driver. Chevrolet Camaro. Taking to “I’ll be back on campus this the track at Iowa Speedway, he semester and I’ll be taking five faced challenges, just like any classes,” he said. “They’re all rookie in NASCAR’s second-ti- classes that I can’t take online. er division. He started 21st If I get another internship or
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something else, I can take other classes in the spring.” Graf hopes to compete for an Xfinity Series title next year, going full-time racing since his school schedule will enable him to take some online courses. However, nothing is set in stone. In the meantime, he wants to live life as a real New Yorker. Graf has been exploring the area, too. Namely, he’s a major foodie. He loves pizza and has been trying out dozens of shops in the Big Apple. He’s been to Long Island once, appearing in an event at Riverhead Raceway. But he hasn’t been back since. However, he plans to take the hike out to the area and try some of the island’s best food. As this young racer continues to grow on and off the track, maybe, just maybe, he can be the driver Childress has been looking for. “I learned so much in and out of the car in six months than I have ever really,” Graf said. “It’s really unbelievable what you can learn.”