Matt Marcinkowski
It wasn’t long ago that Spike Kohlbecker thought going 30 mph was fast. His first racecar—a go-kart that his grandfather gave him when he was 4 years old—had just a tiny motor, but it was his exposure to an adrenaline-inducing hobby that quickly became his passion. At the start, instead of a pit crew, Kohlbecker had his parents, who stuffed his fun-size racer into the back of their SUV and took him to one of the tracks dotting the St. Louis region. Now, at age 18, the Kirkwood native goes about 145 mph on the track, and he has professional assistance. He’s pursuing a career on the IndyCar circuit through Ignite Autosport, a local program helping promising young drivers train to become champions. This year, Kohlbecker is driving in the USF2000 Series, the first rung on the ladder to someday competing in IndyCar—and the Indianapolis 500.
Has your family always been as excited as you are about racing? My grandpa and grandma spent their honeymoon at Elkhart Lake, a very famous track here in the U.S. Eventually, when my mom was born, their family vacations were to go to racetracks. That’s what they did, so Grandpa was the one who got me into racing.
How did you get the name Spike? When I was in kindergarten, I spiked my hair. I came back from break and my friends started calling me Spike, or Mohawk, or whatever it was. It eventually evolved into Spike and stuck. Not only did it stick for my name, it also sticks in people’s minds. There aren’t many people who are named Spike.
What does your training look like in between races? There’s two different parts to it; on-track and off-track. It’s almost more important to train off-track than it is on-track. When I’m off-track, I work with a company called the Central Institute for Human Performance in Kirkwood. They base their workouts around my body but also help me improve my brain, so they have me juggling and reading when I’m not at the facility working out with them.
What about when you’re on the track? It’s the stuff that just comes naturally with everything we do. We have test dates that are there for us to get acquainted with the cars and new tires and different setups. It’s all about being in the moment. You’re trying to feel the car and what it’s doing and put everything else out of your head. It all just comes from practice and focus. That’s what I do off-track with the juggling and the reading. It’s all about being in the present.
What kind of strength does it take to navigate a car at top speed? We have a lot of G-force present, and something that helps with feeling the car is a custom molded seat. That holds me in place so I don’t have to use my core muscles or leg muscles as much to keep from sliding around like you would in a regular street car.
What is all this training leading toward? My goal for not only this year but [also] in the future is to continue racing and winning on the IndyCar ladder system and eventually get to the IndyCar Series.
Are you just racing in the Midwest, or has racing already helped fill your passport? I’ve definitely made a lifestyle change with racing. I’ve lived in Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. I love traveling. I’ve been to some amazing places.
Which places top your list? One of my favorites is Ireland. It’s super pretty. I’ve also raced on a track called Anglesey in the U.K. The water is right there. You went over this hill and couldn’t see the road because it was a blind hill. But over the hill, you could look straight at the Isle of Man.
What are your proudest accomplishments so far? One of my proudest achievements was at the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand last year. I was competing against some of the best drivers in the world, and at the end of the season, I obtained the Most Improved Driver award. That was absolutely awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled as big as I did that night at the awards ceremony.
