Gunning for the Semi-Pro Georgia state title and a track championship at Anderson Motor Speedway, driver AJ Nichols chases checkered flags while balancing his life as a student athlete. He hopes to find the funding to return to The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for nationals to settle some unfinished business.

Hometown: Harlem, Georgia

Number:  33

Division:  Semi-Pro

Team: T55

1. How did you get your start in racing?

When I was young, I would always go to the races on Saturday night up at Swainsboro Raceway and Modoc Speedway. Both of my uncles raced. One of them ran four cylinders while the other one flagged. Every Saturday night we were up there watching them and it gave me the want to race.

2. How did you pick your racing number?

Originally, I was gonna be 38. The three being from my number growing up from go-karting and my dad’s number was the eight because he was a Dale Jr. fan. It was supposed to be 38 but I liked how the 33 looked on the car.

3. Who is your biggest inspiration?

My Uncle Wesley. He was the flagman up in Swainsboro.  He was always pushing me to be better and he was always saying he saw something in me and that I would be going places. 

4. How do you get focused before a race?

I usually do a two-minute prayer with my dad before the race and I close my eyes and then make a game plan on what to do.

5. What is your favorite racing memory?

Back in 2024 at Lawrence County for my 17th birthday I ran a dirt mini-late model. A lot of people looked down on me because I was an asphalt racer and thought I wouldn’t do well. I ended up coming from fourth place to win the race on the last lap.

6. Do you have any hobbies outside of racing?

I run track for my school and I do the 300-meter hurdles and triple jump. I do iRacing, as well.

7. How do you balance your personal life and racing?

The weekends are for racing [and frequently] we go to Anderson Motor Speedway. On the weekdays it’s school, work and training for track. When I can during the week I try to get into some practice laps in iRacing.

8. Who is your favorite race car driver?

Jonathan Davenport.

9. What is your favorite track?

Millbridge Speedway. Great facility, great atmosphere.

10. If you could race at any track where would you race at?

The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I’ve watched a lot of races on TV. I’ve always wanted to go to the west coast and run tracks there. I’ve never pretty much been outside of the east coast.

11. What has been the most challenging part of driving a Legend car?

Learning the throttle control. I did flat track go-karts and doing go-karts there isn’t a lot of horsepower so it’s pretty much wide open the entire track. It was really learning throttle control, getting out of the corner and keeping the car under me. You need to have the speed off the corner but you don’t want to be too sideways to where you can't save it.

12. What advice would you want to give someone wanting to be a Legend Car driver

If you have the money, find a team that rents and find a track that can do a practice day or rent the track and have someone driver coach you. When I first started my team owner Wesley Thompson took me under his wing and pretty much taught me everything I needed to know about a Legend Car in that one day. It was three hours of practice. You need someone that knows the car and knows what they're doing, training you on a track by yourself.

13. What are your 2025 racing goals?

Hopefully win the Georgia state title for Semi-Pro and win the Anderson Motor Speedway track championship. If we could find sponsors in funding we would like to go to Las Vegas for [Asphalt] Nationals.  We ran nationals last year but we didn’t have the speed we were hoping for.

14. If you could spend a week anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Daytona Beach during Speedweek. I would love to watch all the duels and races. The last time I was in Daytona was for Daytona Kart Week.