London McKenzie is preparing for his ascension to the Semi-Pro Division in the upcoming 2024 season. Aside from his passion for racing, the Asheboro, North Carolina native finds joy in engaging with diverse motorsports and board sports. Embracing the winter atmosphere, he has recently adopted snowboarding, perfectly timed for the crisp snowy season. London's racing approach is characterized by creativity, evident in his unique 95 car—a nod to his childhood favorite, Lightning McQueen.
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina
Division: Young Lion
Number: 95
Team: 860 Motorsports
Favorite Restaurant: Kabuto Japanese Steakhouse
1. What is your favorite thing about living in Asheboro, NC?
My friends, since it's a small community I've known the same people all growing up together.
2. What are some of your hobbies outside of racing?
I do a lot of board sports. Anything from skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding, anything like that. I'm also into other motorsports, like jet skis, dirt bikes, four-wheeler, anything like that.
3. What is something that you want to accomplish in your personal life?
My parents own a real estate company and when I grow up I would not mind getting my degree in that and go into the real estate world, as well as NASCAR.
4. How do you juggle being a student, racing, and having a social life?
Yeah, it's really hard. A lot of my friends are super involved, they come to watch my races. I think for the most part it's hard. But my school has told me to make good grades and they don't mind if I miss a few days for racing here and there.
5. If there was anywhere in the world that you could live, where would you want to live and why?
I would have to go with Charlotte, North Carolina, the home of racing. So when I grow up and hopefully make it to NASCAR, I'll still be around all the shops and the tracks.
6. What kind of pre-race preparations do you have?
My team has a tradition with me to bring Sprite to the track. My mom doesn't like me drinking caffeine before the race, but if I go to the track there's almost always Sprite cans in the cooler.
7. What lessons have you learned from setbacks or failures on the track?
It has taught me that if you just work through the tough times and always keep a good mindset that you'll always come out and be successful. You just gotta stay strong mentally and work through it.
8. What is one word that describes your race style?
My race style is creative because no matter how hard you prepare for what's gonna happen in the race, every single race is gonna be unique and it's gonna have a different outcome. You just have to get creative on the track and find a good balance between racing too aggressive and giving up positions.
9. What is your ultimate racing goal?
To work up through late models, the [NASCAR] Trucks and Xfinity Series, NASCAR [Cup], and ultimately win a NASCAR championship.
10. How did you come up with your paint scheme?
Originally it came from my mom's business with McKenzie Real Estate because the whole theme of that is purple. I also really liked blue because that was the original scheme that was on my car, it was white and blue. Over the next few months we came up with that design, put some lightning bolts in the background and that's what it is today.
10. Why did you pick number 95?
I grew up watching Lightning McQueen, actually the day we had to make a scheme, my team asked my dad what number I wanted to be and I think it was just instinct. My nickname in racing ended up being "Lightning London."
11. How did you get into racing?
I am a second-generation racer, my dad raced all the way up through late models, super late models and then got offered into trucks. When I was a kid I watched Lightning McQueen, I had everything Lightning McQueen, the backpack, the suitcase, the clothes, even the blankets and sheets on my bed used to be Lightning McQueen. When I turned eight, I begged my dad to get me into a bando and the rest is history for now.
12. Do you remember your first race?
My first ever race was actually at the 2017 Summer Shootout. I got fifth place in the Beginner Bando division.
13. When did you transfer over to Legend Cars from Bandoleros?
I raced my first race at Caraway Speedway, which is my home track and that's when I first moved was around the age of 12.
14. What is your favorite track that you ran at so far?
I would have to say Charlotte Motor Speedway because the competition there is almost the best in the country I would say. I would say battles, not enemies but a lot of battles happen there and it's super close competitive, really fun racing there.
15. How are you feeling about moving up to the Semi-Pro Division next season?
It's gonna be super fun. I think a lot of top competitors from this season may go there and the competition will be fierce. I think that keeping your nose clean in each and every race is gonna be the challenge because watching the last season, I know the Semi-Pros and the Young Lion are a little known for this. Keeping a solid race car throughout the season I think is gonna be the key.
16. Asphalt, Dirt, or Road Course?
I really enjoy the dirt side of things and obviously the road course. I think all three have their own challenges and things that are unique about each of them. I would have to say the circle track asphalt because I've seen the most success there.
17. What do you find most enjoyable about racing?
It's really an addicting sport to me because the highs are super high and the lows are low. The adrenaline just makes it a super fun sport and the competitors and friends, it all makes it a super fun community.
18. Who is someone that motivates you?
I would say Richard Petty because with where we live he's super popular. He's been a super inspirational being the king of racing and I think he's really helped form the sport to what it is today, especially around our community.
19. What is something that you want to accomplish in the 2024 season?
I think we're gonna run a lot of point races and ultimately try to run for a track championship and hopefully the national championship in 2024: the semi pro championship. It would be great to win a race out at Millbridge in the top class.