Estero man makes dream racing career his reality

The engine’s revving as Ryan Norman races back onto the track from pit row to hit 200 miles per hour. To finish in first place is what fuels him.

Norman has raced all of his life in just about everything that moves, but racing cars was love at first sight for him. It takes a certain person to make it into a lifelong career and Norman is one of them.

“I’ve always been an adrenaline junkie,” Norman said. “I’ve always been racing something for my whole entire life. I started out in Motocross dirt bike racing when I was younger. About 2 years old was when I got my first 50 motorcycle.”

Racing cars is what captured his heart, and he was determined to make a career of it.

“You’re going so fast, but for me, everything slows down in that point. When the adrenaline is flowing, it’s almost like slow motion,” Norman said. “I don’t think there’s more of a peace that I can state that I can get to in my life besides being on track.”

Norman now races for Wayne Taylor Racing and Andretti Motorsport on the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series.

The Estero man has been racing for 10 years and has racked up trophies.

“You have to be so precise, and I don’t really think there’s a sport that you have to be so precise. Because we’re talking about you’re going 200 mph, and you have to make decisions within two feet of let’s say where to brake,” Norman said.

Alex Tann, Norman’s friend since the two were toddlers, is along for the ride.

It was no question that Tann was going to support Norman’s dream as one of his racing sponsors.

“Family is everything and seeing him as a brother and supporting him, that’s the best,” Tann said.

Norman has his eyes set on the place that started it all: the Indy 500.

He raced the track before, in the Freedom 100, finishing second, despite leading 30 of the 40 laps.

But to Norman, he now sees his loss as a blessing.

“It really, you know, fueled me up to want to push that extra little bit that you need to get to the top, and I think I gained a lot from finishing second, and I think that it made me want it even more,” Norman said.

Norman’s racing journey has been full of memorable moments from racing’s legends.

“They’re doing the driver announcements and all that stuff like that, Jimmie Johnson got called up and then I got called up behind him. Just standing there getting ready to get in the car it’s like, oh there’s Jimmie Johnson right there,” Norman said.

His journey even crossed paths with the band Journey after a first place finish.

“It was super bizarre because Journey are these big legendary band, and they’re asking me to take pictures with them with the trophy,” Norman said.

To become successful, Norman learned you have to be self-critical.

“Every driver goes through this phase where they don’t want to blame themselves. You know, they’re trying to find something wrong with the car, you know, something that’s out of their control. But I think you have to be so self-critical, and I think that carries over to a lot of different aspects of life,” he said.

In addition to the Indy 500, he wants to race the 24 hours of Le Mans.