Andy Lally on racing, NASCAR, Trans Am and going 80+mph on a skateboard

Andy Lally has built one of the most diverse careers in American motorsports.

A three-time IMSA champion and five-time winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Lally has raced everything from prototypes and Porsches to NASCAR stock cars. In this episode of Racers Unchained, he sits down to talk about the path that took him from go-karts on Long Island to the top levels of sports car racing, and why simply being fast was never enough.

Lally talks about the mentors who taught him to hustle, knock on doors and create his own opportunities rather than waiting for the phone to ring. He explains how he made the jump from open-wheel racing into prototypes, built his reputation in Porsche machinery and eventually made his way into NASCAR. He also breaks down what makes NASCAR so difficult for drivers coming from IndyCar and sports cars, including the massive difference in tire behavior and how much patience it takes to feel a stock car at the limit.

The conversation also dives into Lally's role with Trans Am, and why TA2 has become an important part of the development path for young stock car drivers. He explains what makes the nearly 900-horsepower TA cars so wild to drive, why the series is attracting young talent, and how its relatively accessible costs compare with modern GT3 racing.

And then there's street luge. A lifelong skateboarder, Lally discovered competitive street luge around the turn of the century and eventually became a three-time world champion. Now retired from full-time car racing, he's chasing another World Cup title on four wheels and no engine. Lally explains the technology, setup, aerodynamics and race craft involved in going flat-out downhill on a board – and why so much of what he learned behind the wheel still applies to the hill.