Josiah Unaeze
Josiah Unaeze[edit | edit source]
Josiah Unaeze is an American-Nigerian racing driver who competes in the Ignite Regional series. He is also the 2022 and 2023 recipient of the Raceway Gives Foundation scholarship presented by Nascar driver Bubba Wallace at the Inaugural Enjoy Illinois 300 at Worldwide Technology Raceway in St. Louis, Missouri. Ever since watching the Pixar Movie Cars and Turbo Josiah’s only passion and interest have been cars and racing. First laying eyes on the only black driver in motorsports, Lewis Hamilton, it only solidified what he was meant to do, compete at the highest level of motorsports. At the age of 8 Josiah and his father began learning the details about the sport, engineering, and physics involved in a race car. Ultimately putting his knowledge to the test with sim racing, competing with others on Codemasters F1 franchise, Grid Autosport, and Iracing. During COVID-19, Josiah was soon able to get a taste of driving a Go-Kart at his local track. This year translated to getting the attention of leaders at the World Wide Technology Raceway. Through a collaborative effort between WWT Raceway Gives and Dave Steward 2 of Lion Forge Animation and Steward Family Foundation, that journey was realized after being funded to begin his racing career for the 2022 season, turning his dream into reality.
Junior career[edit | edit source]
Competing in the Ignite Series Junior class, powered by a 210cc 4-stroke Briggs and Stratton motor across 15 events in the states of Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio. Josiah never had a coach to train him, but that didn't stop him from continuing to adapt and learn quickly. Throughout his debut season, he became a regular top 6 finisher with a season-best 4th place finish. increasing his top 5 finishing results to 39% with a season-best 4th place finish. At season end Josiah amassed over 1700 points and Ranking 8th in the Ignite Series. Josiah kept training and brought his strong moment in 22’ towards 23’ finishing top 5 and 4 numerous times along with one podium through 9 events. Josiah has proved to himself that with the same dedication and determination, he can be just as competitive as his peers through hard work.
Community Outreach[edit | edit source]
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An honors student in the 8th grade, learning the responsibilities, demands, and education required to have a successful career in motorsports that come with driving professionally and building a career, Josiah has been actively involved in community engagement, seamlessly blending his love for racing with a strong dedication to making a positive impact. Through his participation in motorsports events, he has not only sharpened his driving skills but also cultivated a profound appreciation for the camaraderie and sense of community that permeates the motorsports realm. Understanding the influential platform it offers, he actively seeks opportunities to give back to the community. Whether by organizing and participating in fundraising events, or mentoring aspiring racers, he endeavors to utilize motorsports as a catalyst for social change. By harnessing the excitement and energy of racing, he has forged connections with individuals from diverse backgrounds, serving as a source of inspiration and contributing to causes close to his heart. His involvement in community engagement and motorsports allows him to pursue his passion while making a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of others.
Social Media Link[edit | edit source]
TWITTER https://twitter.com/JosiahUnaeze
TIKTOK http://tiktok.com/@thirty_4_xxx
INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/josiahunaeze/
Reference[edit | edit source]
https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article262164502.html
https://www.bizapedia.com/mo/josiah-unaeze-racing-llc.html