Since RaceDriven.com just passed a huge milestone, its four year anniversary earlier this month (March 2009), I figure this would be the perfect opportunity to reintroduce just what RaceDriven.com is and who’s behind the name and the site.Hello, my name is Brian Vermette, I am currently 29, living in Massachusetts, US and have been an automobile enthusiast since I was five, a NASCAR fan since around 1992 and a Motorsports fan after that. Back in 2005, after graduating from college (in December 2000) with an associate’s degree in Internet Communications Technology (not in journalism), I was looking for a way of having my voice heard, but in a soft tone by many on my passions in life, but at the same time, building a project site for my portfolio, since writing is a passion of mine, not to mention is a good therapy for everyday life and thanks to some online friends, an article on blogging and a television show called “The Screen Savers”, I founded RaceDriven.com on March 12, 2005.
Since then, RaceDriven.com has become more than just a project site for my portfolio, the site is where I discuss my passions in life mainly being on NASCAR, Motorsports and Automobiles. Over the years, the site has expanded as my passions in life has expanded too, to include listening to country music, writing and a little on my life, of course blogging is given your opinion, otherwise your building a news site, however the only topic that is not discussed is the workplace and unless the boss approves it, it wouldn’t ever be.
When it comes to RaceDriven, with the exception of the hosting, I handle everything from the site design and layout, of course working the CSS/HTML to achieve this, the content being writing the articles, developing relationships with other bloggers and companies, answering emails, handling all direct advertising, customer service and anything else related to the site.
What is the future of RaceDriven.com? That’s simple, continue what I am doing and expand the site even more starting with photography and going from there.
An Interview: A few question for the founder of RaceDriven.com, Brian Vermette.
1. How did you become involved with Automobiles and Motorsports?
First, the passions automobiles, cars came when I was just around five years old, seeing an amazing vehicle or hearing an amazing engine always got my attention, as a kid I use to jump up on the coach in my house, look out a picture window after hearing an interesting engine to see what vehicle was coming down the road. Since then, I always love different vehicles.
Second, when it comes to motorsports, I started watching NASCAR back somewhere around 1992 with my father and just fell in love with it, the adrenaline rush is amazing, not only when you watch the action on television and see your favorite driver race for the victory, but at the racetrack itself and from there, I started getting into other types of Motorsports including open wheel, drag racing, sports car racing and beyond. As for the media part of the sport, that was thanks to Shell (that explained in the third question), that race in September 2007 got me into NASCAR media site, however I’m still a fan first.
2. Who are some of your favorite drivers and why?
Since I started watching NASCAR back somewhere in 1992, I had two favorite drivers, first, Rusty Wallace who retired in 2005, and second, the late, great 7-time champion Dale Earnhardt. While being a fan of Dale Earnhardt, I started getting into watching his son Dale Jr. back in 1998, very impressive by what Dale Jr. could do with a racecar, the same way Rusty and Dale Sr. drove in a sense, he won the Busch Series championship in 1998 and 1999. As a NASCAR fan, you can have more than one favorite driver as I have shown above, of course Dale Jr. is the man, but over the past several years, I’ve become a fan of the outspoken, down to earth, Tony Stewart. Smoke is not afraid to speak his mind, even if it goes against NASCAR and he can back it up on the racetrack. As you can tell, when it comes to Motorsports, I’m really a Chevrolet guy, but when Ford or Dodge wins, it’s cool to depending upon the driver at least.
Outside of NASCAR, ever since I meet John Force in 1996 at Racearama in Springfield, I’m been a huge fan his him and John force Racing including Ashley Force in NHRA drag racing and I will watch Formula 1, Indy cars, of course including the Indianapolis 500 and road racing (24 hours of Le Mans, 24 hours of Daytona and 12 hours of Sebring come to mind, all three are amazing races with a lot of history.
However make no mistake, when I go to the racetrack to take in the NASCAR experience, I continue to wear my #3 Dale Earnhardt tribute hat or now my #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard hat, while I am watching Dale Jr. and Tony Stewart on the track.
3. What is your most memorable NASCAR experience?
Looking back, there are several, the first one in my life was back in 1995-96 (I think) at Thompson Speedway in Connecticut where then the Busch Series drivers where signing autographs, it was a motorsports show, that’s where the real passion comes from.
However the most memorable came in September 2007, after I started working with Edelman PR on behalf of Shell-Pennzoil, both my father (who is also a blogger) and I were invited as a bloggers to take in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at what is now New Hampshire Motor Speedway as part of Shell’s Best Seat in the House program. The program allowed both of us to attend the Cup Series race with Hot Passes that gave us access to the garage area, media center and parking, and be on pit road before, during and after the race and the program gave us a seat on top of Kevin Harvick’s pit box during the race.
What an experience, there is nothing like walking through the tunnel and up into the NHMS infield and looking around at the grandstands on the other side from an area I never imagined where I could go, to walking into the garage area, taking pictures, seeing the drivers and the teams working on their cars, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth and crew members walk by and see just what goes on in the morning before the race, it is breathtaking.
Even walking into the media center was a treat, of course with full access, we walked on to pit road, we must have walked the pit road three or four times for pictures and just to see what was going on, it’s a sight like you have never seen. But I have to say, sitting on top of the pit box for a little over 100 laps and just seeing what these pit crews do during a race was perfect, what a tight area. If that wasn’t enough, when we were leaving, we got cut off by Matt Kenseth’s hauler coming out of the tunnel, it wasn’t the drivers fault, we both we being told to come into the same area, can you say, reach out and touch a transporter? What a sight and even more, being in that pack down through the driveway, onto the main road with fans lining both sides of the street and down to the highway.
Amazingly enough, the next June, we both got to attend the race the same way one more time, this time was even better because we know the rules and what to expect, incredible.
4. With all of the blogs out there dedicated to Motorsports including NASCAR and Automobiles why do you think yours has become so popular?
Racedriven.com is popular because I give my opinion on varies of topics including Motorsports (NASCAR) and Automobiles, I tell it like it is, I’m honest and I believe the variety and my honest opinion is what brings the visitors in, people want to read what others (including fans) are saying whether it’s on NASCAR, cars, motorsports, television, music or anything else.
5. What are your favorite cars?
While I don’t have a favorite, I would love to own any of these classic or modern cars: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS, 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback, 1969 Dodge Charger with a HEMI, 1987 Buick Grand National, 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, yeah, I love cars ever since I was four years old and that includes a Black 2007 Ford Mustang Roush Edition and a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette, it’s nice to dream. Of course, a 1930’s-1940’s Ford Coupe Custom would be cool too.
6. Have you read any comments on your blog?
Two comments come to mind:
- Racedriven.com - Brian is a mixture of NASCAR and pure car knowledge…with a dash of reality TV. Now, I start to feel a little boxed in by my co-Junyah and Smoke fans…but he’s another blogger who refrains from obsessive Junyah writing. His love of autos...is brutally clear and intelligent. Honestly, every time I read him..I learn something new.
- Great articles dealing with NASCAR. Very well written, a must to visit.
Enjoy RaceDriven.com. Comments.
