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[/media-credit]When you think of Olympic swimming, you think of guys like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. Michael Phelps is now the most decorated Olympian in history, and Lochte is of course his rival. But what about Tyler Clary? The 2012 games in London were Clary’s first. He beat out Ryan Lochte for the gold in the 200-meter backstroke event and set a new Olympic record. Clary is going to be a very successful Olympic swimmer throughout his career. But what about his dream career? That would be driving race cars.
In an interview with Dave Despain on the SPEED program Wind Tunnel, Clary shared his thoughts of being a driver. He said “100-percent true. I want to take a serious shot at being a professional race car driver after swimming’s over. It’s funny because when you initially tell people that, you get laughs, complete surprise, but I know that this is something I could be really good at and, like I said, I want to take a serious shot at it.” Clary also said he’s been around auto racing for a long time, his family got him into it. He’s been to several auto races. But what are the odds of someone becoming a race car driver?
It’s obviously very tough. Nobody can just say “I want to go drive race cars for a living.” It’s not that simple. You really have to work for it, start at a young age, and you must have a desire to win. Tyler Clary already has a desire to win by racing in the pool, so he can take that desire to auto racing as well. But he must work for it. He has to get noticed. He said he’s been spending time with the CEO of Skip Barber Racing School hoping to get in on some of their programs. He also hopes to try out some regional races in his off time from swimming.
If he ever did make it big, which series would he drive in? Dave Despain also asked him that on Wind Tunnel. His answer: “If I had a way of saying, as far as racing goes, ‘this is what I’ll be doing after swimming is over,’ I’d be in a Formula One car. But I’m the type of guy that’s … Just get me in a car and I’ll be happy. If it’s an Indy car, a rally car, a stock car, off-road racing would be amazing, too. Any of that stuff. I just really have a passion for auto racing and I really want to drive.”
In conclusion, it’s not everyday you see an Olympic swimmer go from being in the pool to on the track. But that’s what US swimmer Tyler Clary wants to do when he hangs up his Speedo. Whether it’s Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR, or Off-Road, he just wants to drive, and hopes to have success doing it.
Do you see Tyler Clary driving race cars in the future?
