Michelin The Alley asked a number of ALMS drivers and a few team principals about how they got started in racing, big breaks and favorite racing memories. Here is what we found:

What was your favorite racing memory early in your career?

Cooper MacNeil
“My favorite racing memory early in my career would be from a Midwest Council race at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockford Illinois. Some of the other drivers refused to be on track with me because I was so fast; they felt I was a hazard. I think I lapped every car twice in the 20-minute race.”

Jon Bennett
“My favorite memory in racing was taking a victory lap in Ray Stone’s SCCA BugEye Sprite at Lime Rock. I was 12 years old and sat on my knees where the passenger seat would have been. There were no seat belts and our victory lap speed was….let’s say……quite sporty.”

Colin Braun
“My favorite race memory was being barely 16 years old and driving through the tunnel at Daytona to go to the January test before the 24 hour race. Having the opportunity to be part of that event at such a young age was a pretty cool moment.” (pictured above)

Johannes van Overbeek
“Landing at the airport in Tampa in ’97 without much money, no ride and no place to stay. I saw a guy loading BBS boxes into a panel van and asked him for a ride to the track (the old St.Pete street race). I was trying to do a lot with very little and it’s amazing how creative you can be when hungry and pursuing your dream.”

Guy Cosmo
“Winning my first Formula Ford race on Father’s Day, while my father was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack.”

Bobby Rahal
“Winning my first race is my favorite memory. It was at the SCCA regional level which was a big deal when you were just starting out. Of course going to race in Europe in Formula 3 at places like Monaco, was a great memory. Racing in the U.S. and Canadian Grands Prix at the age of 25, five years after I started racing, was a favorite memory too.”

Jonathan Bomarito
“My favorite early memory is winning the first ever “Stars of Tomorrow” karting race.”