The Heart Behind the Helmet
At just 19 years old, Jacob is already a championship-winning driver and the owner of Redhead Racing, the largest Bandolero racing team in the country. But if you spend time around him at the track, you’ll quickly realize that some of his proudest moments aren’t his own wins. They’re watching one of his young drivers accomplish something they’ve been working toward, whether that’s winning their first race, overcoming a tough weekend, or simply finding the confidence to believe in themselves.
Racing has been a family affair for Jacob from the beginning. He and his twin brother, Kaleb, started racing at a young age, with their family spending countless weekends at tracks throughout the Southeast. Those years gave them some incredible memories, but they also saw a side of youth racing they wanted to change. They experienced and witnessed situations where young drivers faced bullying, poor treatment, and misinformation instead of the encouragement and guidance they needed to grow.
In 2019, Jacob and his family decided to do something about it. They started Redhead Racing with the goal to create a better racing experience for kids and their families. They wanted a team where drivers could learn, compete, have fun, and feel supported.
What started as a family effort has grown into a nationally recognized racing operation. Jacob leads Redhead Racing in the Charlotte area, while Kaleb has helped carry that same approach to the Midwest. Despite the growth, the family values that started it all remain at the center of the business.
For Jacob, working with young drivers is one of the best parts of what he does. He loves teaching them how to get faster, understand their cars, make smarter decisions on the track, and become better racers. But he’s just as interested in the lessons they take with them when they climb out of the car.
He wants his drivers to understand that how they treat people matters. That winning should never come at the expense of integrity. That mistakes are part of learning, respect has to be earned, and the way you handle a difficult race can say just as much about you as the way you celebrate a victory.
Jacob also understands the responsibility that comes with being someone younger drivers look up to. Whether he’s helping a driver through a frustrating practice session, celebrating a hard-earned accomplishment, or just spending time talking with a family at the track, he tries to be the kind of person he would have wanted in his corner when he was starting out.
Owning a business at his age isn’t easy. There are long days, late nights, plenty of challenges, and a lot of responsibility. But Jacob genuinely loves what he does. He’s proud of the relationships he’s built with his customers, the trust families place in him, and the opportunity to turn something he grew up loving into a career.
Now, as he prepares to spend more time pursuing his own racing goals in 2027, Jacob isn’t stepping away from what he’s built. He’s hoping to lead by example, showing the young drivers he works with that it’s possible to work hard for your own dreams while still making time to help others achieve theirs.
For Jacob, racing has always been about more than winning trphies. The wins are exciting, and the championships are something to be proud of. But the friendships, family memories, lessons learned, and opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life are what make it all worthwhile.