Mark Wilkins: How I race and win at now age 40

How to Keep Up with the Kids

Wilkins takes some inspiration from those who experienced success as middle-aged racers.

“There are a lot of great drivers even up in the 50s,” Wilkins said. “Thinking back a little bit, you got Scott Pruett, Bill Auberlen, Gabriele Tarquini. These are guys who have raced forever and they didn’t let a number be influential.”

[Bill Auberlen: Talking About Breaking a Big, Big IMSA Record]

Scrubbing off years from that age number does take some work, Wilkins admitted.

“My training routine is a little more strenuous than it was when I was younger,” Wilkins said, “because it needs to be to stay in shape to be able to compete with these guys.”

Much of his workout regimen focuses on stamina, with a particular focus in mind.

“Dealing with heat, that’s the biggest thing, at least for me,” said Wilkins. “The cars get hot, especially when we get into our stretch of summer races. The races are two hours and I tend to finish a lot of the races. I can be in the car for an hour to an hour and 20 minutes. If ambient is 85 or 90 degrees, then in the car it’s well over 100. You have to be able to manage the heat, stay focused and execute perfect laps, lap after lap.”

Wilkins doesn’t use a cool suit, or anything of that nature. He prefers to keep it simple in the cockpit. Thus, the onus falls on the driver.

“I do a 60/40 balance of cardio to strength,” Wilkins said. “I do a lot of cardio–bike, treadmill, runs, walks. I spend time in the sauna just to get acclimated to the heat. It doesn’t help living up north [in Ontario, Canada].”

Some people love the gym. For others, such as Wilkins, they need to force themselves to workout.

“It’s never been my favorite thing,” said Wilkins of working out. “I find with fitness that it’s one of those things you got to get yourself motivated to do. But when you do it, you feel great. I find that when I get in a routine, I just love how it makes me feel. I feel good. It makes you want to do more.”

In fact, Wilkins wished he worked out more consistently in his younger years.

“Twenty years ago … I [felt I] didn’t need to do all these things [to work out] because I was okay,” Wilkins said. “Looking back, I would have pushed myself more when I was younger to do [exercise] … because you would have propelled yourself that much further.

“[I head] to the racetrack with the confidence [because] you know you busted your butt and worked hard to be in the best shape you can be to achieve the best result possible. If you don’t do it, you’re leaving something on the table. For me, that’s enough motivation to do it.”

Advantages Age has Over Youth

Although an older racer has more miles on their body, with those miles comes several advantages.

“I’m more disciplined,” Wilkins said. “I know with experience and racing for so long, I just know what needs to happen.”

Last weekend’s Motul Course de Monterey Powered by Hyundai N serves as a great example.

“There are a lot of things you learn about circuits over the years,” said Wilkins. “Laguna is always about tire conservation. [It’s about] making it last so you have a good average pace over a stint as opposed to getting two or three spectacular, qualifying-like laps early on in a tire run and then you find the falloff is exponentially higher. It’s hard. It takes discipline when guys are pushing early in the stint to let them go. With age comes discipline, understanding and knowledge from previous years.”

Pure speed doesn’t equate to wins. Veterans know this, but younger racers sometime overlook this.

“When you’re young, you’re focused on, ‘I just need to be the fastest guy,’” Wilkins said. “When you’re older, you’re more confident and say, ‘Maybe I don’t need to be the fastest guy. I just need to win the race at the end. So, what’s going to get me there and what are the different factors I need to keep in mind to achieve that goal?’”

Likewise, it’s not all about what you do inside the car.

“Committing to being the best you can be, in all facets,” said Wilkins about how his outlook changed on racing over the years. “Learn the media side, who you’re representing, how you represent yourself, how you show up physically. The importance of pushing yourself when you’re away from the track directly correlates with how well you’ll perform on the track.”

Wilkins has worked extensively with auto manufacturers and currently races for a team backed by Hyundai.

“Working for car companies, [experience helps in] understanding that you’re working for them, helping represent their products,” Wilkins said. “How you present yourself, how you talk about them, your understanding of the product, your passion for cars, your passion for what they’re doing is just as important. I’ve loved taking the Hyundai Elantra N on track and showing people how capable they are, and how they directly correlate with the race car and how much carryover there really is between them.”

Lastly, with age comes a growing respect– and admiration–for those who make it all possible to race.

“Going fast and taking chances, and you start to realize these cars are not very cheap,” said Wilkins. “There’s a lot that goes into them. There’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of money. The behind-the-scenes work is truly where the win is. It’s the crew and the guys in the shop … they do the lion’s share of the work. Appreciating that is super important, in how we drive and how we treat the equipment. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten a lot more gratitude and understanding in just how many factors are involved to give us race-winning cars.”