Motorsports is in NASCAR driver Kyle Whisner’s blood, given his parents both raced, and his father co-owned a Grand National team built out of their two-car garage in Riverside, California, making it easy for him to gravitate toward the sport. But being named after racing icons Kyle Petty and Ronnie Thomas, the latter being the 1978 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year (his middle name is Thomas), made Whisner destined for greatness, and he’s certainly lived up to expectations.
The influence around him was motivation enough to get the racing champion behind the wheel at nine years old — a later start, he admitted to us via an email interview, compared to racers today. However, with his father racing at Southern California’s Riverside International Raceway as a car owner, Whisner said he “held a wrench while still in diapers,” unlike his siblings, who didn’t share that interest.
“Racing was everything I knew. Even now, after everything else I’ve done, I was a racer first,” Whisner said about what inspired him onto the roadway. “I still remember falling asleep as a kid on the right front fender of Ron Hornaday Jr.’s Southwest Tour car on a cold Bakersfield night — a now four-time Truck Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer.”
A Need for Speed
While we’d like to think that Whisner ate, slept, and breathed car racing growing up to explain his incredible skills, the award-winning sports star had other hobbies, even some that didn’t involve a motor. Riding BMX bikes was his first sport of choice, but he moved to karting upon realizing it gave him more of a “weight advantage” against the older kids.
By the time Whisner was 17, he was already being called a “veteran” racer, though looking back, he’s not sure he deserved the title. “I thought I was the second coming of [race car driving legend] Tim Richmond. In reality, I was a cocky kid who didn’t know how much he didn’t know,” Whisner recalled before explaining his status was due to his nearly decade of racing, not because he was nabbing every win.
“Here’s the thing—it’s incredibly hard to win even one race,” Whisner confessed. “We had help from NASCAR West and Southwest Tour teams and regularly finished in the top three with decent hand-me-down equipment, even some from Hendrick Motorsports. But racing against grown men who’d been doing it their whole lives? That’s no joke.”
Although Whisner recognized that being the top racer wasn’t going to be an easy feat, he had big aspirations for his future mapped out at a young age. One goal: to be starting the Daytona 500 at 21 years old. However, Whisner’s plans were derailed when his father fell ill, prompting him to spend the next four and a half years caring for him instead of focusing on his dream path. Whisner’s father died when the athlete was 25, causing him to take a step back from racing altogether.
A Star On and Off the Track
Nevertheless, his plans going off track (no pun intended) led to other opportunities and his current career in TV and film. You might remember Whisner’s name from his work in mega-popular movies like Star Trek (2009) and Logan Lucky (2017), among many other credits. But he didn’t just walk onto a film set with his admirable racing background and immediately land gigs. Whisner worked his way up in the business after being hired to literally take out the trash on a film set — a job his friend helped him obtain. He started as a Production Assistant and later held various positions behind the camera and driving camera cars.
Whisner eventually became a part of the Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE) — now part of the NASCAR Racing Experience — which gives NASCAR fans the chance to drive a race car or ride shotgun at various premier speedways around the country. Whisner occupied the driver’s seat, making an incredibly thrilling experience for those lucky enough to sit beside him (and a much different ride than Whisner’s everyday vehicle of a four-door sedan with 140,000 miles on it and few modest adjustments by the racing expert. “Your daily driver doesn’t need to be flashy,” Whisner assured. After his stint with RPDE, the entertainer became a precision driver for well-known manufacturers like FCA (now part of Stellantis) and drift rides in Hellcats and Vipers.
Thankfully for his fans, Whisner found his way back to racing after moving to North Carolina, initially working in ARCA, Trucks, and Xfinity. However, it wasn’t long before he was back in the game. “When NASCAR told me I was eligible to get back behind the wheel and run a truck, I knew it was time to make it happen — and come full circle from being that kid who once fell asleep on Hornaday’s fender,” Whisner told us. “I’m now teaming up with great partners to make my Truck Series debut while continuing to run select ARCA and Late Model races.”
But as we mentioned, NASCAR isn’t Whisner’s only passion, with his acting and behind-the-scenes film work having taken off. “After my dad passed, I heard that Paul Newman had made enough money in entertainment to go racing. That time hit hard — but gave me direction,” Whisner reflected. “I thought, if that’s a real path, I need to see if I can walk it too. That’s what led me to Hollywood.” (Note: The actor and film director notoriously became a successful race car driver at 47 years old, though it’s unknown if his financial wealth led to his pursuit of racing.)
Despite starting out doing much of the grunt work on set, Whisner eventually transitioned to coordinating, producing, hosting, and even doing voiceovers and commercials (as highlighted on his IMDB profile), which had shocking similarities to his other day job — racing. “The pace of a film set felt surprisingly familiar. Much like racing, it demanded precision, quick thinking, and the ability to adapt on the fly,” Whisner revealed.
“What began as a way to fund my return to racing became a second passion,” the actor gushed. “Acting, like racing, is all about instinct, timing, and dedicating yourself to a craft. Still, to this day, I work regularly. You can make a good living without being a household name.”
The Projects At Heart
Still, Whisner knew that his notoriety in NASCAR could be used for good. “Racing is a gift, but if you’re not using it to make an impact, what are you actually doing with your time?” he said. Given his connection with Kyle Petty, Whisner felt drawn to supporting the driver’s camp Victory Junction, which was started in honor of Petty’s son Adam, who died in a racing accident in May 2000 (via BBC News).
“Victory Junction gives kids with serious illnesses a chance to just be kids. Everything is accessible. They can bowl, zip line, do archery—all of it at no cost to their families,” Whisner shared about the organization. “After speaking with doctors, I learned that one of the biggest challenges for kids fighting illness is isolation. Victory Junction brings connection, joy, and healing.
“As I climbed back up the racing ladder, I made it a priority to bring visibility to the camp, and so have my partners,” Whisner continued. “Park West Gallery (in Southfield, Michigan) even donated fine art pieces — works by Tim Yanke that regularly go for upwards of $50,000—for charity auctions. That kind of generosity has a real, lasting impact.”
Whisner’s charity work became one of his most joyful contributions, even though racing was his first love. “I’m competitive — always have been, especially with myself. Leading a team to our best possible finish is why I do this. It’s extremely hard, and that’s exactly why I love it,” Whisner shared. “Racing is a challenge — so is capturing the best performance on film. But putting a smile on someone’s face — especially a kid facing impossible odds — is better than any trophy.”
Whisner particularly enjoys Victory Junction’s NASCAR Carnival events, which invite top drivers and pit crews to do mock pit stops. They also involve hot air balloons, games, and a mini track in the center of the camp. “I love being a part of those days,” said Whisner. “Yes, winning races is amazing. Racing door-to-door is in my blood. But if you can give a child joy, hope, and a moment they’ll never forget — that’s the kind of win that really matters.”
“Age Doesn’t Mean Slow”
But Whisner doesn’t plan on putting away his racing gear anytime soon. “I’ve probably got 10 good years left in the seat,” he revealed. “I’m 43 now, but I didn’t have the same kind of career as most. I’m still fresh. Age doesn’t mean slow. Experience can bring the car home clean — and fast. I’m here to show that.
“And hey—Kenny Schrader is 69 and still runs 60 races a year. So, who knows? As long as I’m competitive and having fun, I’m not in a rush to hang it up,” Whisner added.
However, when he is ready to throw in the towel (and even before), Whisner expects to continue acting and creating art. “I’ve seen what the fine art world can do, and I’d love to connect with people through that medium and tell my story in a new way. I’ve also got some more custom car builds I’ve been dreaming about — and once there’s time, I’ll finally bring them to life.”
In the meantime, Whisner has many projects in the pipeline, including his Truck Series debut, and he has a whole team behind him to make them happen. “Everyone’s aligned to not only make my Truck debut happen but to do something bigger with it,” Whisner said. “At (my company) KWM (Kyle Whisner Motorsports), we’re using racing as a platform — not just to compete, but to connect, give back, and build something that lasts.”