Meet the #PEAKSquad: Nick Taylor’s Bonneville Debut

 

“Imagine Mars, covered in salt.”

 

Bonneville is famous for its otherworldly atmosphere, longstanding traditions, and high-intensity runs, and #PEAKSquad member Nick Taylor (also known as Nickky Bobby) is ready to make his debut run on the salt. 

 

"You feel like you're on a different planet, and you can see all the way across the horizon,” said Nick. “All around you there are huge mountains that are almost out of a painting.” 

 

He’s been to Bonneville before, and was taken aback by the scenery as a spectator, but now he has his eyes on a record-breaking run. Coming off a huge win at the PEAK Streetcar Shootout, breaking a record at Bonneville would make this a banner year for Nick’s career, exceeding all of his expectations as a professional racer.

 

Nick has come a long way since he left a career in HVAC to bet it all on his racing talent and skills in the garage. Along the way, he co-founded Mid America Kustoms, met his partner in life and racing, Alex Taylor, and became part of the #PEAKSquad. 

 

We’re going behind the scenes for his pre-Bonneville preparations, and sharing all the excitement along the way. Get to know Nick and see how you can keep up with his road to Bonneville.

 

Born into Racing

Nick’s father was a bracket racer for his entire childhood, even going out to pick up an engine on the day Nick was born. 

 

"He's told me the story about how he was telling the guys, 'Yep, I had a baby boy today,' while he was picking up his new motor," said Nick. “And I’ve had the bug since I was born.” 

 

As a kid, Nick got the front row seat to his dad’s racing adventures, travelling with him and watching each pass. Even when he wasn’t at the track, he was dreaming of it while flipping through Hot Rod Magazine or playing with Johnny Lightning cars. 

 

 

Going Pro

Before Nick owned his own garage, he also followed his dad’s footsteps into the HVAC business. Knowing he wasn’t interested in attending a university, Nick entered the trades right out of high school while racing on the side. 

 

But racing kept pulling harder. Nick was already promoting events with a friend who'd later become his business partner, and he was teaching himself to weld on the side.

 

"I was so focused on the racing, and it was taking up so much of my time,” said Nick. “I wanted to be fair to my employer, and I knew I was doing him an injustice. My mind was on the racetrack."

 

As a 23-year-old with no family to support and nothing tying him down, he decided it was time to make a leap of faith, and he’s been working towards his dreams every day since. 

 

 

Nick’s Dream Car

Throughout his career, Nick’s driven and rebuilt too many cars to count, but he gets stars in his eyes when he talks about his 1991 Camaro, lovingly dubbed Uncle Sam. It’s been crashed and rebuilt over and over, and is constantly being repainted. While some people might see its multicolor paint job and scoff, from Nick’s point of view, Uncle Sam is “the Taj Mahal.”

 

The beauty in Uncle Sam isn’t in its looks, speed, or even durability for Nick. It’s all about taking pride and ownership in a car that’s completely his own.

 

"Growing up, we weren't dirt-floor poor, but we had to wheel and deal. We're always parlaying our stash to get the next better part. I could never have more than one part. I had to sell one to get the other," said Nick. “I can say I've built this car now, and it's mine, and I own this. It's definitely my favorite.”

 

 

Racing as a Family

Nick’s dad isn’t the only fellow racer in his household. Nick is married to Alex Taylor, one of the fastest women in Drag-and-Drive and a member of the #PEAKSquad. 

 

Their marriage is rooted in their mutual pursuit of greatness and high speeds. Nick and Alex share a garage, a track, and a language most people don't speak. When Nick gets laser-focused on a build or upcoming race, he pretty much eats, sleeps, and breathes his work. While other friends and family can’t understand that, Alex knows his drive all too well. 

 

As Nick’s friend Big Chief (you may know him from Street Outlaws) told him once, “'It doesn't matter if you marry the most beautiful woman in the world. If she doesn't want to be the best at something, she'll never understand who you are, because I want to be the best.' And I know Alex, in her heart, wants to be the best."

 

As they both navigate the crazy schedules, late nights of work, and the cost of chasing their dreams, Alex and Nick share in each other's big wins and tough losses on the tracks and in life. 

 

 

Why Drag-and-Drive

Nick’s open about his past in unsanctioned street races, and in Drag-and-Drive, he’s found a high-paced environment that brings him back to those youthful Saturday nights.

 

"I love the constant action. There's no five days of tech and three days of testing. You don't have to take two weeks off of work to get one race in,” said Nick. “I love showing up, racing, getting it done, and heading out."

 

As he drives from track to track with his friends, Nick thrives off the high intensity of the competition and the hard work of unloading at each stop. “It’s almost like a true grit kind of thing,” he said. 

 

Nickky Bobby Racing’s Bonneville Debut

This will be Nick's first year running at Bonneville, but he's no stranger to the salt flats. He’s been at Alex’s side for her Bonneville runs, which was already a huge deal for him. "It's always been a dream of mine just to go watch,” said Nick. “I never thought I'd get the chance to actually run."

 

Now that he’s achieving his dream of a Bonneville debut, Nick is using Alex’s experience and notes to his advantage, and her guidance has been a key part of his own preparation. 

 

As he looks ahead to Bonneville, he’s most nervous for his first run. Not because he’s not confident in his car or his capabilities, but because he knows he’ll be overwhelmed with emotions about finally being here. Of course, this is also the moment he’s most looking forward to. 

 

A Record-Setting Debut

While Nick is just happy to be on the salt, he’s got his sights set on breaking a record.

 

"I know it's a very, very big stretch to do that the first year out with a brand-new car, but I've aligned myself with people that have been doing this for not just years, but decades,” said Nick. “If the salt's good, I think we have the power, we have the knowledge, and we have the car to do it."

 

Looking back at his win at the PEAK Streetcar Shootout, Nick’s goal to break a record at Bonneville would mean achieving his wildest dreams within a single year. “I never thought I’d actually win something like that, and I never thought I would hold a world record of any sort. If I get to do both of those back to back, I don’t know how I’ll ever top it,” said Nick.

 

Nick’s Bonneville Must-Haves 

Ask Nick what it actually takes to survive the salt, and the racing talk takes a backseat to the practical: enduring the oppressive heat. When you’re out on the tracks all day, you don’t have access to everyday amenities, so you need to come prepared. 

 

"As far as preparation goes, I think my mental is there, but just making sure we have the physical things we need, so that way I'm actually comfortable when I go to make my run," he said. 

 

Between his own experience shadowing Alex and a crash course from friends and fellow racers, Nick's narrowed it down to a short list of essentials:

 

• Long pants: Shorts might be tempting in the heat, but the salt reflects sunlight upward, leaving behind stinging sunburns. 
• Polarized sunglasses: Protect your eyes against the glare off the flats.
• A long-sleeve, SPF-rated fishing shirt: These offer the sun protection you need while also keeping you cool and comfortable. 

 

Nickky Bobby and the #PEAKSquad

Joining the #PEAKSquad is more than a business opportunity for Nick. It's the fulfillment of a childhood daydream. "When you're growing up racing, you see people like John Force and other famous racers and want to be like them,” said Nick. “Being part of the #PEAKSquad is exactly as I imagined it as a kid.”

 

Knowing he’s got that support also makes it much easier for Nick to get out on the road. “We put thousands and thousands of miles on our trucks every year going back and forth, so we rely on BlueDEF and Platinum, especially with diesel prices these days,” he said. “ I’m able to focus on being competitive in the race car that much more, knowing PEAK has our back in all these other areas.”

 

 

Inspiring the Next Generation

Nick's path has been anything but conventional, but it’s taught him a lot about following a passion and turning it into a career. For young racers and hopefuls, he’s got plenty of sage advice to share. 

 

Here are his top three tips: 

 

1. Find your passion: You need to care very deeply about this, especially if you want to make a career out of it. When you own a business, you never clock out.
    
2. There’s no right way in: You may start out in one field and work your way into another, so never be afraid to try new things and never let someone tell you you can’t.
    
3. Use the tools at your disposal: Nick came up without the internet, but now he’s all for learning from YouTube and other online resources. With so much information available, you can teach yourself anything. 

 

Follow Nick’s Bonneville Journey

For now, Nick's focus is squarely on the salt. Between the truck, the trailer, Uncle Sam, and his ever-growing Amazon cart of sun protection, he's checking every box he can before his first run.

 

Follow Nick's full journey to Bonneville in the new "Speed Week with PEAK: Road to Bonneville" series, part of his Turbo Time channel. Start watching along here and join everyone on the #PEAKSquad in cheering him on.