Attendees explore the Radford Racing School exhibit at the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction to learn more about driving high-performance vehicles. (Photo by Joe Eigo/Cronkite News)
SCOTTSDALE – In a week when supercars like the acid-green Porsche 918 Spyder and Donald J. When Trump auctioned off for millions of dollars, the Radford Racing School sought to tap into the crowds of car enthusiasts who attend the annual Barrett Show-Jackson Car event. Auction at WestWorld in Scottsdale.
The auction has been held in the valley since 1971 and the company has a history of auctioning off exclusive vintage cars while also giving back to the community.
Radford Racing School, on the site of the former Bondurant high-performance driving school on India’s Gila River network near Chandler, is just 20 minutes south of Sky Harbour International Airport.
But an impromptu exhibit has been set up in Scottsdale for Barrett-Jackson, where other people stop by to appreciate the fast cars. The Radford Racing School is taking it a step further by giving them the opportunity to get behind the wheel of fast cars.
Before becoming Radford Racing School, it was once the Bondurant School, which began in 1968 in Southern California and moved to the Valley in 1990. The existing owners purchased the school after bankruptcy in 2019. It is the largest purpose-built school and the only one of its kind in North America.
The school has a variety of cars beyond the typical race cars. Instead, they will offer SUVs, Ligier JS F4 single-seaters and gasoline karts for training and training.
Radford Racing’s leader of group sales and partnerships, Andre Rizzotti, has been with the company since March 2021 and credits racing events and the resurgence of TV shows like Formula 1: Drive to Survive on Netflix for the increased interest in motorsports across all demographics.
“Motorgame is a very difficult game and with the resurgence of motor games through other shows, whether it’s Netflix or some other racing series, we’re getting more investment and more and more people are getting interested in it,” Rizzotti said. And more people need to get behind the wheel and get information on how to drive that way. The cars we use are big, loud and exciting.
Rizzotti isn’t joking about cars provided through the school. Radford Racing School has an exclusive partnership with Dodge SRT, the high-performance edition of several Dodge models. Behind the Radford booth inside Barrett-Jackson, a door leads to a 2024 model. Dodge Ram TRX Series pickup for consumers to ride. The 6. 2-liter HEMI V8 with 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque is exclusive to a vehicle of its size.
Craig Jackson, CEO of Barrett-Jackson, noted that the auction isn’t just about the cars being auctioned, but is a gold mine that local businesses like Radford can tap into. All car enthusiasts who attract the occasion. each and every year.
“We’re dealing with a Super Bowl-type economic impact, and we’re here every year and (Scottsdale) needs to grow,” Jackson said at a news conference a week before the auction. “The question has been, ‘Is WestWorld meant to make money or is it a park or is it just something that drives tourism and feeds the city?’ I think that’s where each and every one adapts and understands that WestWorld feeds the city. city, as well as the Phoenix Open. .
With only about a 30-minute drive, depending on traffic and strength, between the school and Barrett-Jackson, it’s possible to make a connection.
“Scottsdale is one of the most important occasions at the school. . . it’s in our backyard, it’s like our Super Bowl,” Rizzotti said. “We attend all those other occasions and it’s wonderful to communicate with people, but there’s still something special about communicating with the local community. They know we’re here, they know the history, and they’re excited to hear what’s new and what’s changing.
To the rear of the Barrett-Jackson exhibit is a skidpad, where riders can ride in one of the Radford Racing School’s must-have vehicles, either a two-door Dodge Challenger or a four-door Dodge Charger. , while the passengers enjoyed the excitement. The moment reminded Rizzotti of his favorite moment: getting into a racing car for the first time.
“My favorite moment is walking into the cockpit of our Formula 1 car for the first time,” Rizzotti said. “It’s a surreal feeling to be there. There’s no forced steering or braking. You feel like a race car. “»
Lance King knows all about racing. He competed in the Speedway Team World Cup from 1983 to 1985 and in 1988 (speedway motorcycle racing) as a representative of the United States. In those 3 years, King was a country finalist.
King has become a part-time instructor at Radford Racing School, then under the banner of Bondurant, his professional equestrian career. Nearly 25 years later, he returned to his playground and was named captain of the U. S. World Team. In 2016 and 2017, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (USA) were the first to visit the U. S. in 2016
Former U. S. Junior National Champion The USA brings joy and attitude to Radford Racing School. Although he focused on two-wheelers rather than four-wheelers, King explained that the transition from racing motorcycles to cars is seamless.
“Going from two wheels to four wheels is the most productive transition you can have,” King said. “Everything you get from the motorcycle, you try to handle it and move your weight, not just your body, but also the brakes and the accelerator. I think that’s like driving a car, right?”
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The expansion of motorsports continues to grow as the industry is expected to earn $7. 47 billion through 2028, according to the Motorsports Market Research Report. The Radford Racing School has also noticed an influx of teenagers falling in love with the sport.
“With the younger generation, a lot of them are looking to get into racing and motorsports,” Rizzotti said. “In the older generation, many other people are checking off their to-do list that they’ve been looking to do for years. They’ve worked their whole lives and now they’re at the point where they can do something exciting, fun, and rewarding like this.
When King is at the track in Chandler, he experiences all types of people wanting to learn more about the art of racing. He encourages the younger generation to concentrate on the fundamentals of driving early on if they hope to make racing a career.
“Get directions, get as many orders as you can early on, because that way there’s no replacement for what we call time at headquarters, which is driving,” King said. “If you don’t have the fundamental skills, you’re just tricky. But when you get a professional recommendation early on, then you have something to paint on.
Perhaps Rizzotti described the allure of driving fast cars.
“I mean, it’s Disneyland for 16 and up,” he said.
Hayden Cilley hopes to graduate in December 2024 with his master’s degree in mass communication. Cilley receives the Phoenix Mercury in 2022 for The Next Hoops and writes and podcasts about Mercury for PHNX Sports.
Joe Eigo expects to graduate in May 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in sports journalism. Eigo is in his third semester at Cronkite News. He has previously worked with Inferno Intel, WCSN, The State Press and The Racing Experts.
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