Greenwood graduate Brayton Laster will return to Daytona International Speedway next week.
Submitted photo
These days, it’s not uncommon for a driver to have a far-reaching social media presence.
Brayton Laster’s is, shall we say, saucy.
The 21-year-old’s hankering for a tasty slice — or multiple slices — of pizza is almost always evident, whether Laster is rocking his pepperoni-themed hat, donning a similarly decorated racing helmet or simply engaged in conversation about his favorite food.
“I’ve grown up always loving pizza,” said the 21-year-old Laster, a 2021 Greenwood graduate. “Going to the track when I was 8 or 9 years old, my dad would give me 20 bucks to go to the concession stand, and I always got pizza.
“I just embraced it, but I never thought it would get to the level it has. I’m passionate about pizza, and it accidentally became who I am.”
Which of course begs the question about favorite toppings. Laster tends to eschew all things fancy, and sticks to the basics — thick crust, sauce and cheese, and slices of pepperoni.
All things Laster embodies, whether his racing skills or pizza-first presence, will soon be at Daytona International Speedway as he prepares for this third go-round in the ARCA Daytona 200. On Feb. 17, Laster will drive the No. 91 Toyota Camry owned by Terry Carroll Motorsports.
Laster could never envision a scenario in which he took for granted an opportunity to compete at Daytona, a place that practically oozes history.
“The whole atmosphere … it’s the capital of racing for stock cars,” Laster said. “You can’t replicate it because it’s so unique. The infield is full of RVs. It’s just a crazy atmosphere.
“I’m still going to take it all in. It’s hard not to. You want to focus on the racing, but it’s Daytona.”
Laster is going to have plenty of support once his race starts, including his parents, Dane and Tamara, and younger sister Bryn. Laster’s girlfriend, Shelby Roberts, also plans to attend.
Terry Carroll Motorsports has competed part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 2022, primarily with driver Justin Carroll. The team, which previously competed on the ARCA Menards Series platform, is making its first trip to Daytona.
The Pizza Man has made nine starts on the ARCA Menards Series — three with Mullins Racing, three with Rise Motorsports and three with Fast Track Racing.
Laster has placed in the top 10 on three occasions. His previous runs at Daytona resulted in a 13th-place finish in 2022 and last February’s 27th-place performance after a late-race accident.
“Obviously, everyone wants to race the Daytona 500,” Laster said. “As you move up, there’s the truck series. We’re going to try to run some truck races this year, and our ultimate goal is to be in the truck race at Daytona in the next two to three years. That would be a great stepping stone in my career.”
Laster’s goal is to be driving in NASCAR’s ultimate showcase, the Daytona 500, by the time he’s 26.
His crew chief, Robert Bruce, won’t be surprised if he does.
“Brayton is pretty focused on the racing side of it. He’s very methodical. He knows the drafting side of it and gets as much out of his car as he can,” Bruce said. “He puts himself in the right position, and he understands what it takes to get into that position.”
Laster’s pepperoni-flavored angle of marketing himself, while clever, isn’t entirely unique. One of his competitors in the ARCA Daytona 200 is New Yorker Andy Jankowiak, 35, who started out financing his racing dreams by using the tips he received while working as a pizza delivery man.
Should Laster take care of business in 30 minutes or less, now there’s a story.
