Navy to NASCAR: Jesse Iwuji on Late Starts, Drive & Team Building | Ep 341

Navy Commander Jesse Iwuji went from Naval Academy safety to NASCAR driver and team owner — and he did not start wheel-to-wheel racing until age 28. Jesse talks 16 years in uniform, the 2014 vision that made a late start possible, building Jesse Iwuji Motorsports with Emmitt Smith, and why drifting and sports cars are next. Jesse Iwuji is a U.S. Navy commander and reserve officer, Naval Academy Class of 2010, former Midshipmen free safety, and co-owner of Jesse Iwuji Motorsports with Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and Matt Casto. He began stock-car racing in 2015 at Irwindale while still on active duty and now runs a hybrid program with DGM Racing. In June 2026 he was promoted to commander the same weekend he raced NASCAR’s historic event at Naval Base Coronado. Guest links: Instagram: @jesse_iwuji X: @Jesse_Iwuji YouTube: @jesse_iwuji Website: jesseiwuji.com Store: shop.jesseiwuji.com Team X: @JIMS__official Sources: Jesse Iwuji — Wikipedia Navy: Commander promotion + NASCAR San Diego at Naval Base Coronado NEXCOM / No. 91 Chevrolet — Coronado race Timestamps: 0:00 Intro — college football weekend + Jesse Iwuji 2:20 What 16 years in the Navy still means 4:10 Navy officer to NASCAR 5:39 Late start: first wheel-to-wheel race at 28 7:25 The 2014 vision, Corvette track days, and the sim 9:14 Army-Navy, Beat Army, and Academy life 24:27 Year one as a NASCAR team owner 25:31 What a season actually costs 26:49 Two years out: NASCAR + sports cars + Formula Drift 29:15 How this interview finally happened 31:50 Close More Hard Parking NASCAR: Jasser Valerio (NASCAR official): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW2pL3i0DWE Dylan “Mamba” Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXz-btevcxM Contact Email: [email protected] Website: www.hardparking.com Patreon: patreon.com/hardparkingpodcast Instagram: instagram.com/hardparkingpod YouTube: youtube.com/@HardParking TikTok: tiktok.com/@hard.parking.jhae Main Show Sponsors: Right Honda: righthonda.com Right Toyota: righttoyota.com Arcus Foundry: arcusfoundry.com Autocannon Official Gear: shop.autocannon.com The Warehouse AZ: thewarehouseaz.com