GearShark magazine presents
Drew Forrester
Total Adrenaline #Junkie
Written by Emily Metcalf
©GearShark Magazine. Not for distribution.
It’s a cold winter morning in western Maryland at a well-known local speedway. GearShark has assembled a small team, who all traveled to meet the man causing quite a stir in the racing world as of late. A man who has been described to me as an adrenaline junkie. A man who drives without fear. Here at GearShark, we’re accustomed to these types of men. Frankly, they come a dime a dozen. Just about every driver we’ve ever interviewed has something similar said about him.
So what makes this man different?
What is it about Drew Forrester that has Maryland business tycoon Ron Gamble spearheading the creation of an entirely new division of racecar driving? And does Drew have what it takes to essentially become the brand for what could be the greatest creation since NOS?
When a cobalt-blue 1969 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback pulls up to the track with a spotless exterior, mean-looking tires, and bitchin’ engine work, I take notice. But it isn’t until the long-legged, lean driver steps out, clad in all black, with a mess of blond hair on his head that I start to understand what everyone’s talking about.
Drew Forrester isn’t just any driver. He’s hungry, he’s charming… and he doesn’t follow the rules of the road. Because the road Forrester drives on doesn’t have rules.
I watch him smolder for the camera (Check out the pic on the cover!), and I’m here to guarantee Drew doesn’t just do that for our cameraman. He exudes that kind of intensity no matter what he’s doing. And most of the time, he’s driving.
By the time I sit across from him, I want to know exactly how Drew Forrester got here today, how he convinced Ron Gamble he’s worth creating an entirely new club of racing for, and what exactly makes him tick.
Buckle your seatbelts, ladies and gents. This guy is about to take you for a ride.
GS: I have to say, you weren’t at all what I was expecting.
DF: Thought I’d bring a little more ego with me, did you?
GS: Honestly? Yes. You did just inspire the creation of an indie racecar division.
DF: I didn’t inspire it. I was just in the right place at the right time and said something every indie driver says.
GS: Which was?
DF: That someday, some rich eccentric would throw in with the underdogs.
GS: And you consider yourself an underdog?
DF: I think everyone in general considers the non-pro drivers, who I like to refer to as indies, underdogs. But I wouldn’t necessarily call us that. I just think we haven’t been discovered yet.
GS: All that is about to change.
DF: Yes, it is.
GS: So tell me about this new division of racing. Does it have a name yet?
DF: I don’t think there’s an official name yet. I like to think of it as a revolution of racing.
GS: Tell me why.
<This is where he gets really passionate. His light-blue eyes start to burn with excitement, and it becomes evidently clear Drew is filled with octane and ready to own the road.>
DF: Up until this point, the kind of racing fans watch on TV and fill the stands for is limited. It’s governed by rules and professional standards. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. It’s worked for lots of years. Hell, the reason I met with Ron Gamble in the first place is because I wanted to step into that world.
GS: He turned you down, didn’t he?
DF: <laughs> Turned me down flat. Said I didn’t drive professional enough and I was too much of a wild card.
GS: That didn’t bother you?
DF: It’s true. But here’s the thing. I don’t have to drive like the pros out there to be talented. That’s what the world of racing is missing right now. There’s this great divide among drivers. People think you have to be pro, you have to have a big contract and fancy sponsors with names on your car, to be considered a real driver. But that’s not true. There’s this whole other side to racing no one sees. The underground.
GS: Sounds dangerous.
DF: Everything is dangerous.
GS: So let’s hear about the world, as you put it, of underground racing.
DF: There’s a whole network of drivers out there, not just in this state, but across the country, who drive and drive fast. They meet at speedways and empty back roads. Sometimes they even meet on roads that aren’t so empty.
GS: Do you do that?
DF: I’ll never tell.
<With that smile, even if he got caught, this reporter bets he could charm his way out of a pair of handcuffs.>
DF: These are the drivers that don’t have a ton of money. They don’t have an expensive track or sponsorship deals. A lot of them couldn’t get deals and were told they weren’t good enough. They drive anyway. They’re the guys in the pit crew. The guys behind the scenes on the tracks. They work on their cars and know their way around an engine. These guys aren’t just drivers. They’re total car junkies.
GS: Are you saying you think these indie drivers are better than pros?
DF: I’m saying we haven’t had the luxury of money and sponsorships and publicity to get us behind the wheel.
GS: And it’s these drivers Ron Gamble is creating a new division of racing for?
DF: Yes. And the racing is real. The rivalries aren’t scripted. We’re a bunch of driver’s who aren’t professionally trained. We don’t have rules and standards like they do. All we have is honor and a high desire to win.
GS: Some people might say Gamble is giving street racers an official platform to break the law.
DF: Some people call the last meal of the day supper, but I call it dinner.
GS: You don’t want to comment directly on the legal vs illegal driving?
DF: It isn’t considered illegal if it’s a new sport. So basically, there’s nothing to comment about.
GS: Is it really a new sport or a variation of an established one?
DF: Again, supper vs dinner.
GS: You mentioned rivalry. I witnessed firsthand the one you have with a driver by the last name of Lorhaven.
<More in-depth details on this heated rivalry on page 265. Also, check out my fun random car facts article on page 205!>
DF: He thinks he’s a better driver than me. I don’t agree.
GS: So how deep does this rivalry go between you?
DF: Deep enough that if you watch the races, you’ll be able to see it.
GS: So you think Lorhaven will make it past the preliminaries?
DF: If he doesn’t, he wouldn’t be a very worthy rival, would he?
<See? Charming.>
GS: Tell me something personal about Drew Forrester.
DF: I like to sleep naked.
GS: I feel I should make it a point to mention, you know, in case any of our female readers want to know, that you are very good-looking and I’m sure even more so naked.
DF: I haven’t heard any complaints.
GS: Are you single?
DF: At the moment? Yes.
GS: Looking for love?
DF: I don’t think people should look for love. I think people should let love find them.
GS: Ah, a romantic.
DF: I have my moments.
GS: So what kind of qualities do you look for in a girlfriend?
DF: I like it when people just be themselves.
GS: Okay, why should people watch this new revolution in racing?
DF: Because indie drivers deserve the recognition.
As you can see, Drew Forrester talks a lot like he races. He doesn’t hold back. Or does he? Something tells me this interview only scratched the surface of what’s going on under his hood.
Even though he doesn’t seem to think he’s now the face of this “revolution” in racing, I would beg to differ. Only time will tell if he’ll make it to the championship race at Gamble Speedway. But one thing is for certain.
Drew Forrester is a driver everyone needs to watch.