Joe Graf Jr is our next guest on Fan4Racing NASCAR Weekend Preview, Monday, March 11, 2019, at 9 pm ET. Call 929-477-1790 or tweet @Fan4RacingSite with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.
From Mahwah, NJ, just a 30 minute commute to New York City, ARCA Menards Series championship contender Joe Graf Jr went through a dramatic life change once he enrolled at New York University last fall.
Choosing the edgier New York City to replace the green lawns and suburban lifestyle, Graf is on a mission for his education, growth, and development while continuing to pursue his racing career.
NYU is in the heart of Greenwich Village, an area known for artistic expression with a uniquely diverse environment. Maybe a perfect fit for Joe Graf Jr, a free-spirit of his own right.
” I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like when I moved into the dorm,” said Graf. “I guess my first reality check was when I walked around the neighborhood.
“New York moves at a super fast pace and has an unreal number of things to do. I quickly realized that although I was in a college dormitory I was actually in the city. New York City is NYU’s campus.”
Meeting his NYU roommate was an experience that confirmed Joe Graf Jr was in for a totally new experience in NYC.
“My roommate is Chinese, He said his name. It was really a very long name that I had no clue how to pronounce…but he said he was telling people to call him Eric. It was kind of tough understanding him speak for the first few days, but I caught on eventually. Although we are from opposite sides of the world, we really have a lot in common, especially love of sneakers and pizza.”
Although living in a 22nd-floor high-rise was vastly different from his suburban home, Graf was quick to make the adjustment to living near some of the best pizza shops on the planet. Just a block from his dorm is what Graf describes as the ‘best pizza place in New York City,’ Joe’s Pizza on 14th street. Barstool’s OneBite program agrees, rating it one of the best in NYC.
While Joe’s Pizza on 14th street is a great discovery for Graf, the number of people on the New York City streets is a big difference in exploring his new digs.
“What was really interesting that there are so many people in NYC,” explained Graf. “It’s kind of like a culture shock…you see someone, and you probably will never see then again.”
Graf admits having access to the great food and crossing paths in NYC is appealing, but he also maintains a tough schedule of classes and hours of homework. He’s majoring in Business, Media and Sports Management an area he believes is quite useful in his racing career and beyond.
Speaking of his racing career, that’s what makes Graf stand out from his fellow NYU students. On weekends Graf’s schedule is busy with Chad Bryant Racing in the ARCA Menards Series.
“I really like my classes,” added Graf. “I had a few classes that stood out…two economic classes, a sports management class and introduction to writing. What was really cool was that my writing professor, Professor Rzonka was from the Detroit area and grew up near a Ford plant and he liked racing and he watched a few of my races.
“Dr. Brandon Brown, my sports management professor was into other sports, but I got him interested in my career as well…I guess I introduced my sport to two new race fans.”
Considering his hectic schedule between NYU and the race track, it’s remarkable that Graf earned straight As in his first semester last fall. So what is the toughest part of transitioning between student and race car driver?
“Time management was something that had not been a priority in my life until college,” grinned Graf. “It wasn’t easy scheduling everything every day, but it was an area that I worked hard on knowing that it would be a key to me handling life and being successful.”
After the last race of the 2018 season, Graf turned his focus on studying and final exams. His hard work has earned him an internship for the spring semester, when his 2019 racing season is building up speed.
The ARCA Menards Series started their season at Daytona International Speedway last month. The first race for Graf didn’t quite go as planned with a plastic shopping bag getting caught on the air intake port on the front of his car and overheating the engine.
“That was really disappointing,” recalled Graf. “What are the odds of a plastic shopping bag being on the track at Daytona International Speedway. It was nuts.”
For the second race of the season at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida Graf was eager to get back behind the wheel of his No. 77 EAT SLEEP RACE car this past weekend. He came back to NYC with an 11th-place finish.
In between racing 200 mph on the track and his NYU books, Graf found some time to go kayaking with his friends on the Hudson River in NYC. Photo – Courtesy of Joe Graf Jr PR
For Graf going from the suburbs to the dynamic Greenwich Village in NYC has been quite a journey and this season, he’s hoping his journey in the ARCA Menards Series includes celebrating in Victory Lane, and maybe even a championship title.
“Imagine if I win the Championship. I still need to be in school on Monday morning. But hey, I will be 21 by then and can celebrate with some cold beers in some of these iconic NYC bars.”
Joe Graf Jr.
Joe Graf Jr has the right idea, already visualizing the payoff for all his hard work – a celebration of his success!