Grant Enfinger Talks Family, His Confidence, and Activities Outside of Racing

Credit: Debbie Ross for Skirts and Scuffs

Author’s Note: This interview took place before the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where Enfinger finished in the 11 position. 

One person’s success never mimics another person’s success. With the compact schedule the Craftsman Truck Series runs, Grant Enfinger has taken advantage of all the time he has at the race track. In return, he has earned a few wins this season and has positioned himself to contend for this year’s championship.

But he didn’t get there on his own. It took teamwork, both professionally and personally. The time, effort, and commitment contributed by those in his inner circles have boosted his efforts and provided him with the poise to pursue his racing aspirations.

The Fairhope, Alabama native got his start in the ARCA Menards Series, earning four top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes in his second year with just seven starts in the 21-race season. 

Enfinger is now on his seventh full-time Craftsman Truck Series season, in which he’s has earned two wins, five top fives, and seven top-10 finishes.

Enfinger talked exclusively with SkirtsandScuffs.com about his confidence and how that helps him leading up to the series Playoffs, which is set to begin at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday, August 11th. 

“I guess the fact that we've got a couple wins is definitely something that obviously we always strive for.” Enfinger said of the two wins he’s earned this season, “and we’d like to have more of ‘em, but we've we've proven we can win this year and I feel like not only does that help our confidence it helps us be more aggressive in other races.

“While points still matter to us, winning more races matters more.” Enfinger continued, “This time last year, we were sitting like maybe one or two spots to the good on the playoff bubble. We had to do more points racing then, we couldn't just be aggressive and race for wins.

                                                                  Credit: Sean Gardner

“I feel like it [having wins] allows (crew chief) Jeff Hensley to call a more aggressive race. It allows me to be a little bit more aggressive in the driver’s seat. Obviously proud of our team and how far we’ve come. We’ve still got a long ways to go and there’s still a lot of things that we need to clean up, but overall I feel like the performance of our No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet is decent and we’re gonna keep building on it.”

While the Craftsman Truck Series has only visited Mid-Ohio once, Grant Enfinger has always struggled at the road courses that gave been on the schedule.

“They've always been a little bit of a struggle.” Enfinger said of his results at road course tracks, “to me it seems like some guys, they grew up doing it.

“You think they're just naturally good at it or whatever. I think they just put that much emphasis on it. They’ve refined that skill set so much.”

The GMS Racing driver has worked on his craft and technique for better performances that have provided better results, including a 12th place finish earlier this year at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

“I've kind of had to retrain my brain in some instances.” Enfinger continued, “When we're used to running an oval track where we have four corners…the road course stuff there's just so many variables. There’s places that you can sacrifice to help. And there's other places that if you sacrifice you've just lost time there. So, knowing your circumstances, knowing the track, and the vehicle that you have, just makes it a lot more difficult for somebody like myself than if they grew up doing it.”

                                                                      Credit: Jeff Curry

When Enfinger isn’t at the race track, he can be found doing outdoor activities with his two year old son, Carson.

“We actually enjoy just camping” Enfinger said of what he does when he’s not racing, “Whether it's to the racetrack or away from the racetrack. We don't get to do that quite as much as I'd like to.

“Me, just personally, I like fishing. I can go somewhere and not catch anything for half the day, and be out there in 100 degree heat, and not get a single bite back and still pretty much enjoy myself.

“Seems like most of the other projects and hobbies and stuff like that I pick up around the house turn into work.

“Fishing is one thing that truly relaxes me.”

When Enfinger began his racing career, he never thought about a backup plan or any other option that didn’t include racing. His passion for the sport outweighed everything he had to go through to get to where he is in the sport today, even when he pushed other things to the back burner.


“I truly don’t know” Enfinger said of what his backup plan, “This is what I put all my efforts toward. This has been my whole focus point.”

                                                              Credit: Jonathan Bachman

“Before [I had a] family and all that stuff, there was racing. I feel like the last four or five years I have learned that there’s so much more to life and trying to be true to my faith. Trying to put God and family first.” 

“But for a long time it was only racing” Enfinger said, “I didn’t ever put as much volume into backup plans or anything else”

He credits his wife for being the one twho's kept him grounded.

“I feel like I've had some light moments over the years that have made me step back and say hey, you need to spend some time with family here and then focus even more we do get to the shop and when you do get to the tracks, and stuff like that.

It’s definitely an ongoing battle and I feel like I've been blessed with a great wife that supports me in all of those endeavors. In our faith, our family, and with racing. It’s definitely a tough balance but I'm blessed to be in a good situation to where I can recognize when I'm getting astray and when I need to be reeled back in.”