Not every athlete can say they had the chops for their respective sport at a young age, nor can they boast that their family has supported them from the get-go, but professional NASCAR driver Ryan Martin is one of the lucky ones.
The Edmonton, Alberta, Canada native — no relation to the Ryan Martin of Street Outlaws fame — was a natural behind the wheel, which was apparent to everyone in his inner circle at nine years old when he smoked nearly every adult he karted against.
“That’s when I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” the 24-year-old told us in an exclusive interview.
Martin’s family was thrilled by his instinctive talent as his father and older brother were die-hard motorsports fans, and they were all the more encouraging when he decided to pursue a professional racing career. They stood by and supported him from the sidelines, and he was the first of the family to follow that dream and become a driver and an athlete.
Chasing the Highest High
But Martin was built for the track, as he’s always loved the grind of NASCAR, with its demanding schedule and hours-long races, mixed with his competitive edge that’s no doubt helped him nab multiple karting championships.
His itch for NASCAR started at 10 years old when Martin began racing and saw himself shine on the track. Although he admits that his first-place wins happened “almost instantly,” he notes it was the years after refining his skills that really boosted his growth as a driver.
This meant devoting every weekend to racing and eventually testing his abilities on courses around the world. “To reach the top in anything, especially motorsports, you have to commit fully and put in the time,” Martin explains before revealing that his overwhelming hatred of losing largely influences his ambition to win.
“Winning gives you the highest high, but it’s short-lived. Once the moment passes, it’s back to work, focusing on the next race,” Martin says about his mindset for any event. “A mentor of mine once told me, ‘You can always be better,’ and I live by that. Even after a win, I break down my performance, analyze it, and find ways to improve. That’s how you keep growing,” he adds.
Like many athletes, Martin chases the high of being on top of the leaderboard, and it is a reflection of the extra mile (no pun intended) he puts into every race.
“The best way to describe the feeling of that first win — rewarding,” he recalls. “All the long days and sleepless nights, all the effort behind the scenes that no one sees, it finally paid off.”
Debunking the Critics
Martin doesn’t take his training routine lightly, sticking to homecooked clean meals, tracking his food metrics, and rotating through performance-based meals when he’s trying to cut weight. (Indulging in In-N-Out Burger and Chipotle are his favorites when focusing on packing on the pounds.)
This doesn’t even account for how he gets ready for big races, which involves “spending as much time as possible on the simulator,” scaling back on his intense gym sessions to ensure he’s well-rested before Raceday, and increasing his water intake to avoid dehydration.
His dedicated health and fitness regimen is a big clap back to NASCAR critics, who he points out regularly complain that racecar drivers aren’t true athletes since they sit on the job. Martin isn’t standing down to this misconception, stressing that racecar drivers are some of the “fittest athletes in the world.”
In a June 2024 article published by Michigan State University, Jordan and Ricky Taylor, sons of legendary racecar driver Wayne Taylor, stressed the physical and mental constraints on drivers that raised eyebrows of those unfamiliar with the ferocity of the sport. Martin echoes some of their points, including “enduring fighter jet-level G-forces, extreme cockpit temperatures (up to 170°F), and long races that can last nearly four hours.”
Martin also adds, “It’s common to lose five to 10 pounds of water weight in a single race due to dehydration and heat exhaustion while burning over 3,000 calories. Our heart rates average between 150–170 bpm for hours, both equivalent with elite marathon runners.” (We’re exhausted just reading about the energy and stamina that drivers need per race.)
This is why preparation for mind and body is essential for anyone before heading onto the track. Martin says “endurance strength” is a significant focus for racers, as well as getting your head in the game, so to speak. “The first thing to fade is mental focus, which leads to mistakes and slower lap times,” he exclaims. “Training in a sauna can help mimic the heat of the cockpit and build physical and mental resilience.”
From Admiring Heroes to Becoming One
Watching some of NASCAR’s greats has been a considerable driver (again, no pun intended) for Martin in doing his best in and out of the driver’s seat. Multi-NASCAR Cup Series championship winner Tony Stewart was Martin’s first major inspiration, which he shares on his website; seeing him secure his second championship victory was a memorable experience for the then-up-and-coming athlete.
He’s since shifted gears (a third time, no pun intended) in admiration for Denny Hamlin (aka one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, revealed in May 2023).
Martin also mentions another prominent racer, Ron White, particularly known for his power in race karting, whose “cutthroat style on the track, combined with his unmatched work ethic and relentless pursuit of perfection,” left a lasting impression on the racer and he’s worked to adopt the same attitude.
While there’s nothing like the feeling of defeating your opponents and seeing your name climb up the ranks, Martin is also proud of the work he does during his off hours, which is coaching all-level drivers from go-karts to GT3 sports cars. “My goal is always to help them maximize their performance on track through data analysis, lead-follow sessions, and even ride-alongs when needed,” Martin explains of his side gig.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented individuals, and it’s been rewarding to see each of them find success in their own way.”
The instructor even teases some exciting projects to come, though details aren’t ready to be released to the public just yet. However, Martin does divulge that he’ll be transitioning into the pro-racing ladder to compete one day in the Toyota GR Cup Series — an SRO-accredited competition that could open more doors for him in the NASCAR circuit — which started in March and concludes in October 2025 and includes stops at seven different tracks around the country. Eyeing for the future: to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series, the most prestigious racing series of the organization.
A Message to Up-and-Coming Drivers
But racing at a top-tier event isn’t Martin’s only motivation despite his will to win. His general passion for the sport is incentive enough to get him behind the wheel, and he plans to continue his work with his other business ventures down the line as well.
Martin’s success has energized young drivers, who look up to him for guidance in breaking into the tough industry. His advice? “You have to want it more than anyone else.” Sound instruction from a karting champion, who also emphasizes that “putting in the extra hours” and “becoming a student of the sport” would get aspiring drivers on the right track (can we say, ‘no pun intended’ again?).
Although it sounds simple: follow the rules of the championship racer, and you’ll measure up to his greatness in no time, beware that this is not an easy feat, which Martin, who moved to the U.S. full-time in 2019 (at 18 years old) to devote his attention to racing and hone his craft, could attest to.
It takes an incredible amount of hard work and determination to become like Martin or his heroes, and the rising star is grateful for every second of it.