Right off the bat; this has been one of my favourite sets of answers I've gotten off a driver so far. IMSA star Dylan Murry seems to be one of the most laid back, down to earth and calm racing drivers out there with a 'they don't make racing drivers like him anymore' vibe about him. Everything about this interview just seems so grounded and relaxed.
Dylan Murry is the first driver I've interviewed that wasn't someone who came from single seaters.
I actually discovered him through my suggested follows on Instagram and liked what I saw in his career and got in touch after doing a little homework on his career, and luckily he got back to me!
📸 In the purple #35 car.
He started his career around the NASCAR scene before moving into prototype sportscar racing as his career progressed.
1. Who is your racing hero or heroes? My racing hero has always been my father, David. No other person comes close to him in the racing world and he's been there for me throughout life.
📸 Dylan with father, David.
2. You’ve shared the track with some big names like Marco Andretti, Oliver Askew, Colton Herta and Louis Deletraz - who’s been the toughest person to race against in your career so far in any category? The toughest person l've raced against is myself, and that's the only person I've ever raced against. It's so easy to try to push yourself beyond the limits of the race car.Everyone else out there is just another car that happens to be on track at the same time. I have those conversations with myself in the mirror before I go out to the track on race day. I make sure that I know my only competitor is myself.
📸 Always pushing to better himself.
3. You currently line up in IMSA with Giedo van der Garde and Frits van Eerd, as well as Rinus VeeKay for Racing Team Nederland; who has been your favourite teammate or teammates since you started racing? My dad was my all time favorite co driver. We shared a seat in two IMSA races, and it was a very special moment to be part of a team with him.
📸 The Team Nederland car Dylan has shared with ex F1 driver Giedo van der Garde and IndyCar star Rinus VeeKay this year.
4. Your dad David also was a racing driver; do you think that had a big effect on you choosing a career in racing? I wouldn't say my dad racing had a specific effect on why I love racing so much. It was more that it just helped me find my passion sooner. I never had to search for my calling. It was always just laid out right in front of me. So, yes my dad had an effect, but it's more that I was able to find my ikigai so soon because of him.
📸 Ready for action with his dad.
5. What would you do if you weren’t a racing a driver? It's difficult to say what I'd like to do, had I not found racing. I have too many other interests that it'd be difficult to choose. Most involve entrepreneurial or inventive aspects. I often have ideas that I'd love to bring to market after my pro racing career.
📣 Outside of racing Dylan has been working with Chicane and Michelin to develop a new type of racing shoe.
6. What’s your greatest accomplishment(s) so far in racing? My most proud moment was when we won Daytona in 2020. That was a flawless race from all of us on the team. I don't get emotional about many things but that one definitely hit home hard.
📸 Pre-race in Daytona.
7. What’s your current goal to achieve in racing? I get asked questions like "what is your goal" quite a lot. To be honest, all I want to do is win and keep improving at higher and higher levels of racing.
8. Is sportscar racing always the path you wanted to choose or did you/do you fancy a go in single seaters as well? I actually started my career in the NASCAR world and grew up with that world. I had some opportunities in prototypes and made the transition to prototype racing. I really enjoy both worlds. Both are really different. The prototypes are faster but not as close racing, while the NASCAR cars are slower but the racing is so close and aggressive. They both have their pluses.
📸 Focused.
9. Are there other categories you’d like to try? I want to race all over the world and check off the highest levels of racing that I can. Anything I can get my hands on.
10. What’s your favourite circuit you’ve raced so far? My favorite track is Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It's such an amazing place and I can't wait to go back there when I get the chance. The pizza place in the town is quite good too.
11. What’s circuit is your favourite you’ve not yet raced? I'm not sure what track would be my favorite that I haven't raced yet. I would find it difficult to beat Spa in tracks, but I await for one better!
📣 Dylan's raced at the likes of Spa, Sebring and Laguna Seca.
12. Could explain a little about your helmet design and why you chose than design? I’m a big fan of it! It reminds me a lot of Jacques Villeneuve with the colours! My helmet design is a mix between Ayrton Senna and my dad with a little twist of my own. Bill Riley has since added a Butters (South Park character) sticker to my helmet. He put that on because I'm the only driver that's driven for him that doesn't cuss on the radio. I told him I'd keep that on my helmet forever to remind me of the humble beginnings.
📸 Dylan's excellent helmet design.
13. What’s your favourite ever racecar? Not necessarily one you’ve driven but altogether! My favorite race car would have to be those old cars that used to race Le Mans back in its first few years. They were racing for a different purpose back then. They had a completely different mindset on how they built the cars, as well as how the drivers drove them.
📸 The cars first raced at Le Mans are very different to the ones we now associate with the prestigious 24 Hour race.
14. What about for a favourite ever helmet design? I'm not sure what my favorite helmet design would be. I don't like the super busy ones that most modern drivers have. I like to keep mine relatively simple. All these new fine squiggly lines I feel just clutter the helmet too much and take away from what it actually is.
📸 Dylan's own lid takes inspiration from Ayrton Senna's, simple and iconic.
15. You’ve posted clips of yourself racing on your social media; what made you want to do that? My social media is to help give people an insight to racing and help them to get inspired to find their own passion. Even if it's not racing that they have as their passion, I strive to give everyone a chance to find and pursue their passion.
📣 Check out Dylan's videos on his Instagram ⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://instagram.com/dylankmurry?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
16. As a racing fan I’ve amassed a small collection of items for myself; as a fan of racing yourself is there anything that you’ve managed to collect? I'm not big on collecting much of anything. I don't even save my second or third place trophies, only wins. My life at home is a bit more simple than you'd guess. Outside of the endless emails and phone calls, I go to the gym for 3 hours a day, read, and play the guitar when l'm not at a track. I like my house to be clean and simplistic, the same as my helmet.
Huge thanks to Dylan for taking the time to do this! I really enjoyed this interview! Hopefully we can chat again sometime!
📸 Image credit(s): Dylan Murry, David Murry, IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship, McLaren Racing, 24h du Mans, Formula Motorsport Limited.
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