Inside Track: Danny Soufi

15-year-old Danny Soufi doesn’t remember a time that he didn’t love cars; in fact, his first word was “Audi.”

The son of a Longhorn Racing Academy driving instructor, Soufi remembers first heading out to the track when he was just four, long before his feet could reach the pedals.

As the youngest person ever to win the Spec Miata Championship, Soufi, now a high school student, is on his way to pro racing.

Getting Behind The Wheel   

Soufi, who spent nearly every weekend at the track as a child, first went behind the wheel at age eight at Harris Hill Raceway, where his dad was an instructor.

Revving Up

The elder Soufi complied and, two years later, Danny competed in his first race at age 10. He went on to win his first race at 11, and his first championship at 12.

Not one to be deterred from setting high goals, Soufi won his inaugural race in the Spec Miata Series, one of the most competitive racing series in the nation, the next year. At just 13 years old, Soufi boasted the event’s fastest lap time.

In 2017, Soufi won the NASA Texas Spec Miata Championship, the Teen Mazda Challenge Championship, the NASA Texas Rookie of the Year, and the NASA Texas Driver of the Year.

Crossing the Finish Line 

So what is the ultimate goal of a high school student who has already become a champion driver? “To be winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and when that happens, it’ll be a dream come true.”

But the effects of Soufi’s hobby and planned career path reach far deeper than just collecting awards and titles.  

“Racing has become a big part of my family’s life and has had a major positive impact. I eat, sleep, breathe racing. It has helped me become a straight A student. It has also become a big thing that my dad and I share. We spend all our time together talking about racing. I call the race track my happy place because there is no place I’d rather be.”