ENCINITAS, Calif. — One of the most storied and prestigious auto races in the world is the 24 hours of Le Mans. This past weekend, a man who hails from Encinitas drove in the event, Max Root. John Howard got him to slow down long enough to do a quick Zoom with him.
“Endurance racing is all out. There is no saving the car. You’re driving every stint as fast as you can," said Root.
And while you’re doing everything you can to hit 200 miles an hour on the track...There are cars in other classes going past you.
“There are prototypes going 230 miles an hour around you," he said. "You have to manage the traffic well and get a little lucky to win this one.”
Root and his teammates started the race 16th and finished 6th. He said the biggest adjustment at Le Mans was racing at night.
“A lot of adjustments, a lot of things your eyes have to get used to, your braking markers change," he said. "You have to be comfortable with going that speed at night.”
Root graduated Santa Fe Christian High School and is currently a senior at Pepperdine pursuing a degree in Business Administration. He eventually wants to pursue commercial real estate when his driving days are over.