Meet the Driver: Michael Mclaughlin of Mike Tries Motorsports

Don't be fooled by his humorously humble Team Name and the disarming friendly smile. Former Spec Miata racer Mike Mclaughlin has lived the life of the American motorsport enthusiast in every way possible. Mike has been a driver, mechanic, instructor, flagger, and even served on the Board of Directors for two motorsport sanctioning bodies. Now in 2025, for the first time in his 15+ year career, Mike Tries Motorsports will try Pro Touring Car Racing.

We flagged down the affable, family-focused racer during the breaks of his busy schedule to ask him a few questions about his aspirations for the upcoming USTCC season:

Tell us about your Team's name and origin story.

I'm Mike, and, well, I'm trying motorsports. My wife thought I'd have fun if I started a YouTube show, so I did. I wanted to show people how they, too, could get into motorsports without really trying. (Plus, it was a good excuse to build a race car!) I'm not doing much on YouTube at the moment, but that's where the current endeavor began.

Tell us about your car for the season. Why did you choose it, and what are its strengths?

I chose an Audi station wagon. I chose it because Roger Maeda (#22 StudioVRM Prelude) told me to pick something more interesting than another Miata, and I thought a wagon would be hilarious. Its main strength is the same as any wagon's: that it's a wagon, and I can fill it with all of my gear while transporting it. I also like the 20 valve 1.8T engine that powered this particular era of VW/Audi products.

What are some key goals you’ve set for yourself in this championship, both short term and long term?

My short term goal is to get the car onto the track and get it sorted. It's not fast enough to be competitive yet, but that's what long-term goals are for. Speaking of long-term goals, I'll work on finding a few more ponies and maybe chopping out some more of its ludicrous weight. (Did I mention that it's a wagon? These things are heavy!)

What message would you like to give to aspiring young drivers looking up to you?

Everybody suggests that you should buy your race car, and not build it. But if that was what we all did, there wouldn't be any race cars, and you wouldn't learn anything. Build at least one car. That way you know how to do it, and you know that you can do it. Just prepare for the high-intensity time commitment. Manage scope creep. Do it with friends if you can, and if you can't build your own car, help a friend build one.

Do you have any pre-race rituals or superstitions that you'd like to share with your fans?

I have music that I tend to listen to while I'm driving to the track, even if the songs or albums themselves have fallen off of my regularly-played lists. I've been listening to the same Lloyd Dobler Effect album on my way to the track for almost 20 years.

Outside of the track, what hobbies or interests help you unwind and bring balance to your life?

I have two young daughters. They keep me busy. I'm teaching them to ski and swim. Sometimes, we just play video games.

Do you have a favorite motto or words to live by?

If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing twice.

Subscribe to the Mike Tries Motorsports YouTube channel for helpful mechanical tips and humorous quips as Mike Mclaughlin rises to the challenge of beating the established competition of the USTCC East Series.