Transitioning from Quarter Midgets to USAC Midgets, Tennessee native Bradley Swift experienced both triumphs and setbacks, ultimately finding his stride in Legend Cars. Through perseverance and community support, Swift has navigated all the challenges that come with racing and succeeding in it. With his aspirations set on NASCAR, Swift has plenty of goals he hopes to achieve this season to make it to the highest level.
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Division: Semi-Pro
Race Team: Race Driven Performance & Michael Crafton Motorsports
Car Number: 85
Favorite Superhero: The Flash
Favorite Dessert: Ice Cream
1. What got you started in racing?
My very first interest in racing started when I was about six months old when the movie Cars came out. I was about six months old when it came out and my parent got it for me and it was the only movie I wanted to watch for about six months. After that, I got a little bit older around three or four and I’d watch NASCAR with my dad and play NASCAR video games and collect Hot Wheels and diecast NASCAR cars. What first got me in the seat was when my dad and I were watching a NASCAR race, they were talking about how NASCAR drivers got involved with Quarter Midgets as their first race car so he looked them up and found a local track in Hermitage, Tennessee and I test drove one and we bought the car that I test drove. That was probably the first time I really got to sit in a racecar.
2. What has your racing journey been like so far?
There’s been a lot of ups and downs, I mean right after Quarter Midgets in 2019-2020 I went to the Eastern Midget Association with Butch Lamb and I bought my first USAC Midget and raced around the Southeast and we did pretty well with that. I think in my first race I got third and then in my last race of the rookie season I got first place at my home track. The next couple of years were a little bit of a struggle, we struggled mechanically, and there was a point in time where I heavily considered quitting the sport just because it seemed like nothing was going my way and there were definitely signs that I needed to step away from midget racing with USAC. That’s when a lot of my friends raced Legend Cars so, I talked to my parents and talked about potentially seeing if they’d be interested in getting me into a Legend Car instead of the Midgets and that’s what we did.
3. What was the hardest part of the transition from Midgets to a Legend Car?
I think going from Quarter Midgets to Midgets was probably a little bit harder for me because Midgets are just such a fast car and they’ve got a lot of downforce that keeps you stuck on the track. You really don’t have to worry too much about just the car but getting more used to driving at such a high speed on some of those tracks. So, honestly going to a Legend Car right after that was less of a speed struggle but more of just learning how to drive a car that requires so much handling. The Legend Car isn’t quite as fast as the Midget but it is a much more difficult car to steer and work around the track.
4. What would you say to someone who’s looking to get started in racing?
I would just say take your time and learn everything you absolutely can as you’re going through it and get as much seat time as possible. That was something I struggled with, especially in my first year of Legend Cars. We only ran a few races that first year so it took me a lot longer to get used to the car than some of the other drivers. So, just getting as much seat time as possible and just focusing on taking every single result whether it’s good or bad as a good learning moment and learn what you could do better.
5. What is the meaning behind 85 on your cars?
When I was six or seven, before I started racing Quarter Midgets, I was originally going to be the number 48 because I was a big Jimmie Johnson fan but my dad pointed out that the numbers eight and five looked like my initials B and S for Bradley Swift, depending on how you wrote it up.
6. What is your favorite event to race in?
I’d probably say the Spring Nationals for the Legend Cars just because that’s my home track, my favorite track and I’ve got the most experience on it. Being able to have that many cars come into my hometown and get to race on a national level and see kind of what other teams do compared to what I do. It’s just a lot of fun being able to race some of these teams that are traveling all across the country every weekend to come to my home track and be able to race me and be able to compete.
7. What are you looking forward to as the Spring Series comes to Nashville this year?
I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve had it marked on my calendar since the last day of Spring Nats last year. I’m super excited. I’m hoping that I can finish out those two days with the Top Five in points. If I don’t get a win then I'm not going to be upset about that but I am shooting for a win that week.
8. What is the best part of racing?
So obviously, you know you can meet so many people. There are so many friendships I’ve made throughout the 10 years almost that I’ve been racing but you know, as much as I love meeting new people and having those friendships, I’d probably say my favorite moment is when I'm in the car. I have that high adrenaline, I’m able to think about what I’m doing, just being able to kind of relax and control a car the way you want to control it and show other people kind of what you’re made of and how good you really are. That’s my favorite part.
9. How do you balance high school, playing sports and racing?
I’d say that is one area where I have to sacrifice things. You know, as much as I want to race 24/7, I physically can’t do that because of certain restrictions. So, being able to play a sport that I love like football and lacrosse, it’s a great way for me to have fun in high school and still have a high school experience with all my friends and just be able to play a sport that I’m pretty good at outside of racing. Unfortunately, I do have to miss some lacrosse things for racing and of course some racing things for lacrosse but you know, that just comes with having to learn time management and scheduling because a lot of people don’t learn how to time manage and schedule until they’re in their 20s, but I’m learning how to do it in high school. So, as much as a struggle it can be at times, I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to be able to do both.
10. What does it mean to be a part of a race team?
Yeah, I love it. I mean the community, especially in Nashville, is a great environment. Every track has its ups and downs with certain people, but people watch the kids grow up and there’s been people in Nashville that have watched me grow up and talk to me and say, “I remember when you were young racing Quarter Midgets,” or whatever and “Now we’re watching you race at Nashville,” and now I can do the same thing with kids that I’m racing with who have just come up in the Legend Cars from Bandoleros and Quarter Midgets. I think especially with the Legend Car group of people, it’s a huge environment, but for the most part, it’s still a great community of people that you can have good conversations with.
11. Who is your biggest help when out there racing?
I’m gonna look behind the scenes and I’d probably say my dad. He is kind of like my racing manager, he has been the one who has spent all the time with me teaching me how to drive at such a young age and teaching me what it means to look for sponsorships and help with financial issues to help me race and whether it be talking to people into letting me race their cars for a weekend or whatever it is behind the scenes. He’s always just been a great help to me at whatever I need.
12. Who is your favorite driver?
I think of all time probably Jimmie Johnson. I mean, I grew up watching him. A lot of people will say older guys that they’ve been watching since they were kids but in my lifespan when I was a kid watching NASCAR it was Jimmie Johnson that was just dominating the field for years and I just loved watching him. I’ve gotten to meet him too. I’d say a current NASCAR driver is probably Chase Elliot. Seeing him kind of go through the same field of racing that I’ve gone through and just to know that a small kid from Georgia can make it all the way up there.
13. What are your goals for this 2024 racing season?
For this year my goals are just to get as much seat time as possible, not only in Nashville but at other tracks too to get a variety but I want to get a couple of wins under my belt this season and go into next year with a lot more information that I did coming into this season.
14. What are your future racing goals?
I think overall the racing goal for me is NASCAR. I would love to get to the highest level as possible. For me, to go from a kid saying, “That’s my dream,” to now it being more of a goal is really fun for me to watch and experience myself and I think to get to that point, it just comes with taking each year at a time.