Here at Walero, we are proud to support a roster of not only our official athletes and ambassadors, but also the wider Walero community, which continues to grow with each passing year. 

One of the newest additions to our official athlete roster in February of this year, was Colin Garrett, a racer with a wealth of experience who had chosen to champion Walero since his first steps into the world of NASCAR! Now in 2024, Colin has not only hurtled round ovals at speeds approaching 200MPH, but also made a name for himself as an accomplished GT pilot with a reputation for speed and natural ability.

We sat down with Colin to chat about everything from his career so far, from the opening stages of his NASCAR career to taking the sideways step into GT competition which has seen him amass plenty of accolades in recent years and even become a champion.

In Colin’s words, his journey into motorsport was ‘a little difficult’ as he heralded from a family with no prior motorsport heritage or experience. However, there was always a certain racing spectacle on the TV in the family living room every weekend and that was NASCAR.

“We always used to watch the NASCAR races on the TV and it was something I looked forward to each weekend. Growing up, Jeff Gordon was my hero and it sparked a dream in my mind that one day I was going to become a racing driver. This dream snowballed as the year went on and I remember often going to watch the local stock car racing on my local speedway which always provided great entertainment for a young boy looking to chase his racing dream.”

“The dream didn’t materialise for quite some time and I was stuck sitting around thinking if I would ever get the chance to sit behind the wheel of a race car or even something on four wheels in general,” he reflected. “But soon I was dealt a hand of good fortune as NASCAR lowered the minimum age of competition for their junior categories to 14 and I just had to jump at the opportunity. I pestered both my mum and dad for days on end, begging them for the chance to get behind the wheel of a racecar and after much persistence, they relented.”

Colin began his journey in the Pure Stock division, in the lower levels of the NASCAR pyramid, a tried and tested proving ground for thousands of budding young racers all across the United States. Colin and his father would soon begin travelling from track to track to compete in Junior NASCAR rounds, a bond that still continues strong to this day, with Colin’s father only missing 3 of his races from his career so far!

From his first Junior NASCAR race, Colin describes his progression up the stock period as one that ‘flew by in a flash’ with little chance for him to stop and think. Compared to those around him, he was a relatively late entrant to the racing ranks at 14 years old, but he quickly impressed those surrounding him the paddock and on the race track, in double quick time. 

After spending two years in the entry level category, Colin made the step up to Limited Late Model stock car formula in 2016, which would see him competing against stiff competition on a variety of oval tracks from tarmac to dirt. In 2017, in only his third year of competition, Colin would claim championship victory in the Limited Late Model class at his local track, South Boston Speedway. Alongside this, Colin would also add plenty of victories, podiums, pole awards and track records to his tally in the Super Late Model formula as he quickly burgeoned an impressive reputation for himself in the stock car paddock.

2018 would see him setting his sights on progression into the NASCAR K&N series, the stepping stone for drivers looking to make their way into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series or NASCAR XFinity ranks. Colin would make the jump into the K&N series after a brief stint in the Super Late Model Formula and despite missing the first two races of the season, he would finish tenth in the standings and collect the Driver Achievement Award for his efforts. 

The season that followed in 2019 would see Colin continuing to impress on multiple fronts from the highly competitive K&N series to both the Super Late Model and Limited Late Model series in both National and Regional competitions. However, 2019 would see him making his debut in the coveted NASCAR XFinity & Craftsman Truck Series at Richmond Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway respectively.

“2019 was a massive year for me from a driving perspective, I continued to collect wins and podiums in a variety of the lower level NASCAR series which gave me a massive confidence boost behind the wheel. To then top that off with debuts in two top-level NASCAR pyramid series at only 19 years of age was the real icing on the cake for me and was the culmination of all my hard work as a driver, I could finally say that I had achieved the dream I had as a little boy and that is a feeling I cannot describe.”

Colin would race on and off in the XFinity series between 2019 and 2021, heavily impacted by the Covid-19 Pandemic throughout his time in the championship and also battling budget constraints, he would never get a true chance to showcase his stock car prowess at the top level of competition. However he still found a way to make NASCAR history. Partnering with blind PhD chemist Hoby Wedler, he ran the first NASCAR with a Braille paint scheme to promote awareness of the need for accessibility. His time in the XFinity ranks also provided plenty of fond memories, which he reflected on happily as we discussed the ins and outs of NASCAR and the demands it places on the driver week in, week out.

“Competing in the XFinity Series, even with the limited running for me, was a true career highlight and holds a special place in my heart for how I have developed and matured as a driver. Physically and mentally, nothing can prepare you for how intense the racing can be. Many people who are not in tune with the NASCAR scene think it is simply turning left, a stereotype which has stuck for many years in motorsport, but I promise you it is much more than that.”

“I vividly remember my first experience on a ‘Super Speedway’ oval which was at Homestead, Miami. A fellow driver, Cole Custer, who is now tearing it up in the XFinity series, had given me some notes and tips for the track and I was sitting in the pitlane getting ready to qualify, anxiously looking over the notes in the cockpit. I then watched the first car fly past on his qualifying run, which was one hell of a spectacle and his braking point was so much later than what I had been referencing. When I hit the track for my run, I was petrified and just going off my instincts as a driver, which isn’t the most ideal situation when you are doing over 200 MPH, just inches from the wall at times, but we completed the run and that was all that mattered to me.”

“For me, the most intense part of NASCAR racing is being in the pack, surrounded by forty other cars only separated by the finest of margins at all times. Add to that the extreme speed, the 160 degree cockpit temperatures and the impact of the aerodynamics of so many cars being in such a small space, it really is a hair-raising experience and I always remember my max heart rate during one of these races being 209 BPM at peaks, which was not a pleasant experience. You also have to account 

for the fact that the air flow is constantly moving around and this really impacts how the car handles and behaves, creating so many small nuances that keep you on your toes throughout the entire race, meaning you rarely have any time to relax or lose focus as a driver.”

Colin’s XFinity debut season would also see him discover the Walero base layers for the first time, as he looked to find a solution for minimising the impact of the intense racing on his body as the year progressed.

“I had been wearing other base layer products throughout my career, but I had always felt that I was not as comfortable as I could be whilst competing. Coming out of each race I was feeling both mentally and physically drained, which was something I could not sustain much longer, especially whilst competing in the XFinity series. I was persuaded to try the Walero products and from the moment I picked them up I was impressed and eagerly anticipating if they could actually make a difference whilst I was in the car. I wore them for the first time at a baking hot Michigan in 2021 and boy did it make a difference! I was looking at the other drivers getting out of their cockpits after the race and taking off all their gear to reveal they were absolutely drenched with sweat underneath, whereas for myself it was a much more pleasant experience,” he joked.

After his time in NASCAR, with the impact of the pandemic and aforementioned budget constraints, Colin decided to leave the stock car scene behind and make the massive sideways jump to sports car  racing for the 2022 season, a decision which he now looks back on with a smile. Colin would become acquainted with a fellow driver who was looking to get involved with circuit racing and this quickly lead to a further opportunity to get behind the wheel of a BMW M4 GT4, sharing the wheel with current NASCAR Cup Series racer, Dnaiel Suarez, at the Circuit Of The Americas in Austin, Texas.

Colin jumped at the opportunity and would quickly impress those around him as he adapted well to not only the car but also the challenge of racing on a circuit for the first time. It was at COTA where Colin would be introduced to a team by the name of Rooster Hall Racing, whom his father had known for many years and what followed would be a successful racing partnership that spanned two seasons and saw plenty of trophies.

Colin began his sports car career in the sweltering heat of Sebring in the TC America championship, competing the TCX class with Rooster Hall Racing. In his third start, he secured a victory and went on to finish on the podium in 11 out of 14 races, achieving 7 wins. After overcoming a 59-point deficit, he won four consecutive races but ultimately lost the championship by just 2 points in Indianapolis, finishing second overall.

“That first season in TCX America was a whirlwind experience,” he recalls. I hit the ground running and just focused on learning all the changes that come with piloting a car on a circuit, such as the challenge of a different braking style and weight transfer in and out of corners.”

However, Colin more than rose to the challenge on multiple occasions and proved that this stock car racer turned GT racer had what it takes to battle it out at the very top.

In 2023, he announced his return to Rooster Hall Racing for TC America in the TCX category. He kicked off the season with a win at Sonoma Raceway and maintained the points lead for the rest of the year. With 13 podium finishes and 6 victories out of 14 races, he clinched the 2023 TCX Championship.

“That championship victory was an unmatched feeling, we all worked incredibly hard across the year to put ourselves in the strongest position possible and I strongly believe we could have won 13 of the 14 races if it had all gone exactly to plan. I have everyone who was involved across the season to thank for our success and it provided the perfect springboard to get to the position where I am now.”

After the roaring success of 2022 and 2023, Colin was at a crossroads with what to tackle next in his sports car career and heading into the 2024 season, he was unsure of what the future held. However, an opportunity to pilot the all-new BMW M4 GT4 for Auto Technic in the Pirelli GT4 America championship arose and as ever, Colin couldn’t pass up on the opportunity.

“To get the chance to race for such a well known and established team in the defence of their title was an honour for me. Teaming up with a vastly experienced driver and teammate in Zac Anderson gave me the right platform to not only showcase my skills as a driver, but also learn from someone who is well versed in the sports car scene. This year has seen plenty of learning from my side as we have adapted to the new M4 chassis, but it has been an absolute joy to continue pursuing a racing career in the sport I dearly love.”

2024 has seen Colin and Zac impress on plenty of occasions behind the wheel, competing in the intensely competitive Silver Class. Together they notched up wins at Sonoma, in their debut race weekend, Barber Motorsports Park and finally Indianapolis, which gave him the chance to ‘Kiss The Bricks’ for the very first time. The pair also collected 8 podium finishes to finish 3rd overall in a Silver class that provided wheel to wheel action at every turn across the season.

When asked about the impact of the Walero base layers on this incredibly intense season of racing, where often the smallest of margins made the difference, Colin’s answer was simple…

“The Walero base layers are game changing and I have not looked back since I first wore them back in 2021 and I will continue to wear them for as long as I race. The difference it makes when we are racing in the heat of summer, where it can be brutally hot at some tracks is key and I genuinely feel it has allowed me to take my driving to another level because I can focus fully on what I need to do as a driver and not on my comfort inside the car. I have often made comparisons to my co-driver Zac, who doesn’t wear Walero and the difference between the two of us after a stint is night and day for me. I’m also trying my hardest to get Zac to wear Walero and I think he is warming to the idea,” he says with a smile.

“This year has also seen me having to learn and drive a whole new car in the brand new BMW M4 GT4 and having Walero by my side has allowed me to concentrate all my efforts maximising my performance on track to get results, hence why it’s been a fantastic year for all involved.”

From his time in both NASCAR and GT competition, it is clear to see that Colin has established himself as a racer with a wealth of both natural talent and experience, two key factors which have been key on his journey to becoming a champion.

We are overjoyed to have Colin as a valued member of our talented Walero athlete roster and we cannot wait to see what 2025 and beyond holds for this exciting young talent!