NASCAR: Interview with Xfinity Series Driver Ray Black Jr.
Beyond The Flag staff-writer Jonathan Pilat had the honor of recently speaking with NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie, Ray Black Jr. on his rise in NASCAR.
It is always nice to hear the stories of how drivers rose through the ranks to break into NASCAR’s top series’, and Ray Black Jr.’s story is no different. This Montgomery, Alabama native did not have your average path into the Xfinity Series. He did not discover his interest in racing until his teens while racing in video games. He was a scuba instructor before he ever sat behind the wheel of a race car of any kind.
I was given the opportunity over this past weekend to interview the driver of the No. 07 Scuba Life Chevrolet to hear more about his rise in the racing ranks.
Jonathan Pilat: How was opening practice?
Note: Interview conducted in between Xfinity Series practice sessions Friday morning at AMS.
Ray Black Jr: Well, we weren’t very fast, but we were just getting comfortable, feeling the car out, making sure she was sitting down alright and make sure it wasn’t rubbin’. We’ll go to the next practice and start shakin’ things out and we’ll be good.
Jonathan: I’ll start out by asking you a little bit about how you got started in racing. I understand that you like racing video games, like a lot of us, like iRacing, is it true that you became interested in racing from those video games?
Ray Black Jr: Yea, I started with some Playstation, racing on there, and figured out how much I liked it. Driving around the yard, we had a go-kart so I enjoyed that. I enjoyed spinning out and wrecking it and destroying everything I could find, just havin’ a great time, so yea. I just translated that over to me wanting to get in the race car, and it took a little time realizing that, but then I got in. I was about 14 when I started, and then it worked out pretty good. It was a long shot but I kept my head my head in the game so it worked out for me.
Jonathan: That’s awesome. What was your first time behind the wheel at a racetrack, where was
that at?
Ray: My first time behind the wheel was at Orlando Speed World. I was about 14-and-a-half and it was in “Mini-Cup,” which is a little bigger than a go-kart, full body. I started my heat race and ended up wrecking, some cars spun out in front of me, so that was cool and I thought my dad was gonna be mad. He wasn’t. I pulled in and he made sure everything was alright with me and we sorta fixed the car, duck-taped it, that was a pretty cool experience. You know, we won a few races that year, it was at halfway through the season when we joined, we didn’t get a full season in but we enjoyed it. So yea, I started with my dad as my crew chief and then we got us a guy that knew what he was doing. My dad knew what he was doing, but we got someone that was passionate about it and loved it and wanted to help me. That went on for a couple of years and was fun. Fun years in late models and stuff like that so that’s a cool time to look back on I guess.
Jonathan: So what’s been your favorite racing memory thus far?
Ray: Yea, I think Daytona and starting my first race there was pretty incredible. You know, I’m from there and walking out on pit road and seeing the lights and friends and family supporting. It’s a pretty neat feeling, you know, we had a good day there, so probably the most memorable moment.
Jonathan: Yea, you ended up getting a top-5 if I’m not mistaken.
Ray: Yea, so it was a pretty great day. We went back there last week and didn’t have the same fairy tale moment. But we were there and we made the race on time so that was a mini-victory. I wouldn’t say it was a forgettable day, but not the best day anyway.
Jonathan: What happened at the end there? The TV didn’t really do you much justice.
Ray: Yea, we ended up running out of gas. We had some pit road penalties and just cumulative things that added up against us and we weren’t able to salvage anything out of it. It was okay, we chalked it up as a learning experience and moved on, finished 33rd. Just not one of those days at the tracks you want to do good at. That’s just life.
Jonathan: Yea, you’ll have those days sometimes. Otherwise, how excited are you for the move up to the Xfinity Series this year?
Ray: I thought it was a great move. We were planning about running the trucks for another season and everything worked out where we got some good funding if the team could move up and we were able to and so we decided to do it and definitely in this day and age you have to progress to stay competitive and stay in the loop. So, we did, and so far it’s working out. We have a steep learning curve, like today, were just in a totally different ball game, different setups so we’re just trying to work with things and make sure we’re comfortable and all on the same page. Then we can go out and give it all we got. Right now we’re taking baby steps, at least I am. We’ve got plenty of time to work things out in practice and the race. Don’t want to rush into anything so we’re doing pretty good so far.
Jonathan: Are you funded for the whole season in the No. 07 ride?
Ray: Yes. Yes sir we are.
Jonathan: And that’s with Scuba Life, you want to tell me a little bit about that?
Ray: Yea, Scuba Life is a pretty new company. It hasn’t been around long but it’s basically focused on the diving and traveling and on-line services. You can sign up to be a member and you get a lot of discounts for diver sports and things like that, hotels, you know, it gives you good locations. It’s for the diver and for anyone who wants to learn how to dive and travel and the same time. We’re just trying to get the word out there, put all those things together as one under an umbrella. Instead of making it about diving you could put the avid traveler in there. Everyone goes o vacation so we’re trying to get as many people as we can involved in diving. That was a good start anyway.
Jonathan: So how did you get involved with that are you a diver yourself?
Ray: Yes. I’ve been a scuba instructor for about seven or eight years now. I’ve been diving since I was 12, so my whole life pretty much. It’s a family business and I enjoy it. I get to travel to a lot of places. You know, I don’t get to do it as much but in the off-season we went around to some places. We went to the springs in Florida and places like that. It’s fun. I enjoy it we have a good time with it. There’s always something new to see.
Jonathan: That’s really interesting. I think that might be the first time there’s been a scuba company involved in NASCAR that’s pretty cool. Also, you’ve got a pretty colorful race car too.
Ray: Definitely, that’s the fun part of it. We’re bringing something new to it. Yea the car is colorful and that’s the unique thing about it.
Jonathan: I’ve a general question about some news we have heard recently, what do you think of the addition of the Chase to the Xfinity and the Truck Series?
Ray: I think it’s fun. It adds some excitement to the sport. NASCAR does a great job with everything they do. Everything they put in place makes the racing better. Its fun that they brought the Chase down the Trucks and the Xfinity Series. I do like the traditional system as well, you know, that was awesome, but it’s always good to breathe new life into a sport where we’re trying to get bring in new audiences and things like that. I think it’s good.
Jonathan: Yes absolutely. So what do you think is the number one goal for your team this season?
Ray: Well it’s a learning season for sure. We want to finish all the races we can that are in our control and learn everything we can about the cars we face. it’s the first season for me and the team full-time in Xfinity and we want to make sure we build on last year and bond as a team. Those are the certain goals we want to achieve. Beyond that, you know, top-15 in points would be great and if we catch on faster than expected then we could battle for a spot in the Chase maybe. There are a lot of variables in that but I don’t see how it’s not possible.
Jonathan: So was it in the works before the end of last season that you’d be running in the Xfinity Series or did that kind of come together all of a sudden in the last month or so?
Ray: You know, we had some talks at the end of Homestead about running Xfinity. But you know how that thing is, we had to make sure we had our numbers right and the team had to see if we were logistically capable of running it. I think it was in a day or something like that we were very sure of doing it. We were planning on doing it at the end of the year last year. Once we were able to confirm it that was a cool moment. That was a good day for us.
Jonathan: Do you think you’ve got a shot at winning the Rookie of the Year?
Ray: I think it will be close. You know, Brandon Jones, and Preece and those guys are really good and it will be hard to beat ’em. I think we’ll have a shot at it, there’s a lot of things that can happen throughout the year. I am not counting anything out. It definitely gives you a little more incentive and things like that. We know what we have and what we come to the track with. I would love to get Rookie of the Year it would be awesome but sometimes its easier than other years, and sometimes you have a stout class, it’s the luck of the draw. I think we’ll have a good opportunity and hopefully we can have some good finished and get in contention for it.
Jonathan: It’s always good to remain humble, you know, not just go into something thinking that you’re going to be the next big deal and then you’ll stumble a little bit.
Ray: Yea, we’re out here to have fun and just enjoy life and the moments we’re given. These things don’t last forever so. Have a good time with it that’s for sure.
Jonathan: That is what’s most important. So in respect to this particular weekend. So what are your thoughts on Atlanta, are you excited for tomorrow’s race?
Ray: Yea I am excited for tomorrow’s race. We actually got to go see the fans today so that was pretty neat and cool things like that are building up to it. It’s a fun track I love it, lot of character to it, Today we were just kinda, this morning, we stripped down the car so and everything was good on it. We’ll get out there in the next practice and you know, pick up some speed and see where we are on long runs. Maybe mach-up a few times. Yea, the races are long so that will play into out favor so I think we’ll have some pretty good pit strategy and have some gas-and-go’s. So I’m pretty excited about it. Looking for a top-15.
Jonathan: That would be good. Are you participating in any other racing this year, and other series’?
Ray: No, nothing I could think of that we’re doing. I would love to some more racing. Anything that could come my way I’d be happy for. We’re focusing on the Xfinity Series. It would be cool to run a truck race here and there but you know how that goes. I’ll keep my eyes open. You never know, we might have a good opportunity. Doesn’t happen very often so it would be cool to experience a little double duty.
Jonathan: Is there anything else you’d like to tell me or our readers that you could think of?
Ray: Sounds like you’ve got it covered. I appreciate you taking the time to talk with us. I’m excited about this weekend and this season. The team has done a great job and we’re gonna capitalize on what we have in front of us.
Note: Ray Black Jr. suffered a blown tire mid-race in the Heads Up Georgia 250 that damaged the No. 07 car and he was relegated to a 33rd place finish for the second week in a row.
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It’s always interesting to hear what the drivers have to say, and with Ray Black Jr., that is certainly the case. He is a fine young gentleman that has brought a great story and an interesting new company to NASCAR in Scuba Life. You can read more about Ray Jr. and the Scuba Life company on the company website. A big thank you to Ray Black Jr. taking the time to speak with us.