HPU grad Mosack targets racing success

Jan. 21—HIGH POINT — Connor Mosack enjoyed success last summer. He hopes for more in 2022.

First, Mosack graduated from High Point University in May with a degree in Business Entrepreneurship. Four months later, as a rookie, he scored his first victory in the Trans-Am road racing series at the famed course in Watkins Glen, New York.

"Watkins Glen was an exciting weekend," Mosack said. "We had tested and we were the fastest car in the first practice, There were two races. We had problems in the first race but started second in the second race, took the lead and never looked back. It was good to get a win because it had been awhile. It was a good confidence boost and proved to the guys we run against that I can win races, too."

That was the biggest highlight in a season that included three more podium finishes that were among 10 in the top five and a third place in the point standings for Trans-Am's TA2 division that features production-based Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers.

Not bad for someone who started his driving career in 2018, as a high school senior and a week before his 18th birthday, in an age when some aspiring racers start competing not long after they reach elementary school.

Mosack had an interest in cars growing up but never thought about racing one until taking part in the Mario Andretti Racing Experience as a 16th birthday present and driving laps on Charlotte Motor Speedway's 1.5-mile banked track.

"That's the first time in a race car outside of a go-cart here and there," Mosack said. "That's when I fell in love with driving and being on the track."

Because he was getting a late start compared to others, it was recommended that he get his racing feet wet driving Legends Cars, scale versions of 1930s and 1940's modified coupes which race on short tracks, including a quarter-mile oval at Charlotte.

Mosack hit the Legends circuit in 2018 and 2019, piled up the victories and won two championships on Las Vegas Motor Speedway's short-track, two at Charlotte and one at a track in Florida. He also raced in the late model division at short tracks.

By this time, he was a student at HPU and had chosen the business entrepreneurship major so he could help in the family business, a Hickory-based company that provides foam cushions and other products to the furniture industry and has a presence at the High Point Market.

"Going to college was something my parents wanted me to do, and I'm a good listener," Mosack said. "That was the plan before racing entered the picture, and for me to continue racing, my parents said it was a requirement to continue college. The plan wasn't to make a career out of racing until we started winning a lot and had success with it.

"My stepdad, whom I'm close with, and my real dad have started their own businesses, and that's something I've been a part of growing up, helping them in the summers. I want to have my own business or help run their's. Business in some way was what I thought would be most helpful and High Point University pushes that entrepreneurial mindset. It seemed like a good fit for me, going to work for my dad and with the racing as well."

His major has helped him with his sponsor, Nic Taylor Custom Fit Underwear, in different ways.

"It's only three or four years old, so as an entrepreneur major, I can understand what they are going through trying to build their company," Mosack said. "That's the most specific example. Coming from a business background, I can help them in more ways than representing them on the track."

Mosack was selected for a Chevrolet driver development program in 2020 and competed on short tracks in late model stock cars fielded by JR Motorsports, the team owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt-Miller.

Mosack was the top rookie that season on the CARS Tour, which competes in the Carolinas and Virginia, but he had limited interaction with Earnhardt and the program was discontinued because of the pandemic.

Trying to decide how to continue his racing career in 2021 and with an eye on someday getting to the Cup Series, Mosack was told by his adviser, Lorin Ranier, to try the Trans-Am Series, because of cost compared to ARCA, a NASCAR feeder series, and the increase in the number of road course events in the Cup Series.

Lorin Ranier is the son of winning Cup car owner Harry Rainer. He helped bring Davey Allison, Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson into the Cup Series, and worked for Chip Ganassi Racing for 17 years.

"I had done late model stocks for two full seasons at that point," Mosack said. "Lauren is the person who facilitates the teams I drive for. He recommended to me the Trans-Am Series, that with NASCAR adding more road courses that road racing was going to be more important, and Trans-Am is a good way for young drivers to learn road course racing in a stock car."

Lanier lined Mosack up for two double-header events at the end of 2020 with one of the Trans-Am Series top outfits, Team SLR, owned by veteran road racing Scott Lagasse and his son, Scott Lagasse Jr., who has raced in some NASCAR road course events.

"Those cars were a blast to drive, I loved the tracks and I was pretty fast," Mosack said. "I felt I could have success in that series if we ran more of them. The options were to run a full season ARCA or Trans-Am or late model. We didn't feel the need to run a full season of ARCA because of how expensive it is relative to the benefit you get from it. We thought it would be best to run Trans-am and a handful of ARCA races and throw in some late models, and have a diverse schedule."

Mosack has remained with Team SLR ever since. He said the Trans-Am cars are like NASCAR Xfinity cars but with less horsepower and better braking.

In just his ninth start, he scored his first podium finish in June at the Mid-Ohio course, cracked the top three again in August on the Nashville street course, won at Watkins Glen and finished second in the season finale at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.

Mosack said he competed at most of the Trans-Am tracks for the first time. Other tracks in the series include Sebring, the roval at Charlotte, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sonoma and Virginia International Raceway.

"The competition at the front of Trans-Am is really good," Mosack said. "Some of the guys compete in IMSA or have come from IndyCar.I think my skill set is geared more toward road racing than the oval rack stuff. A big part of my success is Scotty Lagasse and his father have worked with me a lot. Also in Trans Am, you get to look at a lot of driver data, so I was looking at my teammate's data and mine. That was definitely a factor in my success."

He has no idea why he has been good on road courses.

"We had success on ovals, particularly in the Legends Cars," Mosack said. "My first race in TransAm, I was a top-five contender and that hasn't happened to me in any other car or series. I couldn't tell you why. I had a good feel for the braking. That was the most helpful thing."

Mosack will return to the Trans-Am Series this season for Team SLR, will compete on ovals and road courses in 11 ARCA races for 2020 champ Brett Holmes and will again sprinkle in some late model events.

The planned Trans-Am and ARCA races add up to 23 events and Mosack will spend his non-racing time working for his father's foam company.

"Starting racing so late, it's harder to make it, so I have to have a Plan B, so to speak," Mosack said. "Making racing work is what I want to do and plan to do, but now in the offseason and weeks I have off, I'm over here working. That's where I am during the week most weeks."

Mosack said he's in no particular hurry to get to the Cup Series.

"I have goals, but things change year-to-year in racing," he said. "I'm in no rush to get there. I"m older than most people at my level who are trying to do what I'm trying to do. There were plenty of guys 10-15 years ago who didn't make it to the Cup until their late 20s or early 30s. That proves it can be done and you can have a successful career getting there later. I'm going to take my time getting there so when I get there, I have the experience to stay there instead of being gone in two to three years like some guys."