ADRIAN FERNANDEZ

On the Track
With racecar driver Adrian Fernandez

PHOTOGRAPHY Eddie Garcia

It’s good to be Adrian Fernandez. In fact I’d say most guys would give anything to be Adrian. Before you decide I’m engaging in journalistic butt-kissing, consider the following: he makes a living racing his car—and not just at some podunk local track, but in one of the premier racing leagues of the world. He’s one of Mexico’s biggest sports stars. He has a lot of money, as evidenced by the fact that he owns his team (unlike most drivers). And he certainly puts his money to good use. Depending on his mood he tools around in a Ferrari or a Benz. He also has a beautiful (okay hot) young girlfriend. Basically he’s living out every one of our bachelor fantasies.

Yet there’s more to Adrian Fernandez than fast cars, fame, big money, and beautiful women. Adrian represents Mexicans proudly wherever he goes. His red, white, and green car remind race fans throughout the world that Latinos are achieving success in many sports and walks of life. A workaholic, he preaches and demonstrates how hard work can bring success to just about anyone. If nothing else, he gives us a reason to work hard. How? By reminding us to keep the eyes on the prize: fast cars, fame, big money, and beautiful women.

Tell me how you got into car racing?
I got into it through the influence of my uncles Jose and Santiago Fernandez. They used to do club racing, and I used to follow them to the races since I was four or five years old.

So I loved racing when I was youngster, although I didn’t think I could be a racecar driver in those days. I loved the cars so I’d go to the races with my uncles and help them with different things. When I was 15 years old I got my first opportunity to drive a car. I immediately realized that I loved it, and I have been doing it ever since.

A lot of people see car racing as a sport of the elite because you have to have a lot of money to have access to a racecar and all the other things you need to get into the sport. What do you think of this?
It’s an elite sport in terms of it being expensive, but that doesn’t mean you have to have money to do it. That’s why you have sponsors. I never had the money to do it. I had to work my way through. I never had the money to even dream of having my own team or even competing. I had to always look for sponsorships and that is why we have Tecate, Quaker State, Telmex, and other sponsors like Bridgestone and Ford that help you compete and help you be part of this type of sport.

If you had to break it down to technology vs. man, what percentage do you think each plays in a racer’s success?
You have to start by assuming that the drivers are very close to each other in skill level, because there are drivers that are very bad and there are drivers that are very good. If you take a group of drivers that are all very good then I’d say probably 80% would be the car and 20% the driver. And as I said, that’s when you’re talking about the same quality of drivers. If you put a very bad driver against a good driver it’s a totally different ballgame.

Do you have a philosophy for success?
Just work hard and don’t give up.

What do you consider the most important skill for a racecar driver?
Talent, the natural talent that you have to have. The talent to be quick, you have to be quick and consistent.

When you say quick, do you mean physically or mentally?
Quick around the racetrack. You have to be able to go fast and you have to have the talent to do that, otherwise you can’t compete. That’s the talent you need to have to be able to compete. A lot of that is natural talent. Some people will never go fast because they don’t feel like it. Other people love it. I think a lot of it is natural ability and the other skills you learn.

You’re obviously in a very dangerous sport. Does fear ever become a factor as you’re on the course?
I have had very serious injuries and accidents before, so yeah when you’re in an accident yes. But once that goes away you realize that this is what you love the most and you want to continue doing it. It’s not like every time I jump in the car I have fears. If that were the case I wouldn’t be racing.

I’ve always wondered how racecar drivers drive when they’re out on the streets with the rest of us. Do you drive around like a speed demon or is the opposite true?
I drive crazy. I pass the cops.

You pass the cops!?
Yup, all the time.

So do you get pulled over all the time?
Actually no. I don’t know why. Every time I drive around [my hometown of] Phoenix, or anywhere else, I actually try to look for the cops to see if they’ll challenge me. They won’t challenge me and they can’t catch me. I’m too fast.

Whoa, what kind of car do you drive?
I have a Ferrari and a Mercedes, but they can’t catch me. Sometimes they have to send helicopters.

Do you have any words of advice for Latino men?
Yes, drink a lot of Tecate. [laughs] Otherwise Adrian Fernandez would not be here. But seriously, prepare yourselves. Be cool and work hard for what you aim for. Latino people can be very successful, but nothing comes free, you have to work for it.