Ean Guenthardt: DragChamp Jr. Racer Spotlight

Ean Guenthardt is in this week’s DragChamp Jr Racer Spotlight. Learn all about this DragChamp Pro Member in his spotlight below!

Ean Guenthardt has been drag racing for six years. His passion for the sport began when his dad took him to a race, and he was instantly hooked. Although his uncle raced occasionally, Ean was the first in his family to pursue the sport seriously. He primarily competes in the Jr. Dragster class, but sometimes gets behind the wheel of the family’s S10. Ean focuses mainly on racing for points at Mid Michigan Motorplex, but he also travels to several big-money races throughout the year.

Get to know more about Ean below!

His Race Car

Ean’s current race car is a 2023 Mcilvain Race Car, which they have owned since it was built. It’s equipped with a Blossom Racing Engine and typically runs in the 7.50s or 7.90s, depending on the track.

On race days, Ean is responsible for ensuring the car has the proper fuel and oil levels, as well as checking the tire pressure to make sure everything is ready to go.

Outside of Racing

When Ean isn’t behind the wheel of his race car, he enjoys playing sports, powerlifting, or hanging out with friends. His favorite sport outside of drag racing is track, and he currently participates in four sports at his high school. Ean is a dedicated Detroit Lions fan, and his favorite meal is a chicken, bacon, ranch wrap.

Major Accomplishments

Throughout Ean’s racing career, he has claimed 10 big checks, 30 wins, and 17 runner-up finishes. This past year, he won his first-ever points championship in the 7.90 class at Mid Michigan Motorplex.

Ean’s Q&A

Which win are you most proud of? 

The win I’m most proud of is at the New Year’s Nationals back in 2022, because it was my last race with my old Half Scale.

What’s on your bucket list, future goals, what do you hope to achieve? 

My future goal is to win a million-dollar race or one of the Flings, because that would put me in an elite class of racers. One of the things on my bucket list is to race in Vegas.

Who has made the biggest impact on your racing success? 

My dad made the biggest impact because he’s always trying to give me the best equipment possible, and he doesn’t get enough credit for it.

Who do you look up to in the sport?

I look up to a lot of people including Nasty Nick Hastings, Jared Ledford and Luke Bogacki.  

Who do you hate to see in the other lane, and why?

I don’t mind seeing other people in the other lane—they’re human too, and we’re both in the same boat.

What’s the hardest part of drag racing? 

The hardest part about racing is how long some races take, because I lose my spot on the tree and have to keep watching it every round.

Do you love to win or hate to lose?

I enjoy winning races because it’s always fun to win. I hate losing because most of the time when I lose, it’s due to something I shouldn’t have done—like 85% of the time, I mess up.

Which are you better at the starting line or the finish line? 

I’m way better at the finish line, because most of the time I have to make things work at the top end.

Favorite movie or TV show?

My favorite movie is Draft Day.

Favorite music, artist?

My favorite artist is Brantley Gilbert.  

Where do you spend the most time on the internet?

Mostly TikTok, Snapchat or Facebook.  

What advice would you give to young aspiring racers?

The advice I’d give to younger kids is to go have fun and not stress—there’s only so much time in Jr’s before it’s over.

Who would you like to thank, who helps you the most? 

I’d like to thank my family—especially my dad—for everything he’s done for me. I also want to thank Blossom Racing Engines and Mcilvain Racecars for the amazing car, and Mickey Thompson for the tires.

For more DragChamp Jr. Spotlights, click here.

Want to become a DragChamp Pro Member like Ean? Check out the details here.