Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 Honoree Mike Costic Talks About Turning His Racing Passion Into a Career

If you read the list of the 2023 Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 award recipients, you probably saw the name Mike Costic. In addition to being a gearhead and all-around good guy, Mike’s been able to successfully translate his love of racing into a successful career.

And if you’d like to do the same, we figured you’d want to hear his story.

So we caught up with the newly-minted 30 Under 30 award winner during the 2023 PRI Show, and Mike gave us plenty of insight on his career path.

Nowadays, Mike’s an integral part of the Motorsports and Events team at Summit Racing, where he speaks directly with racers, builders, and hot rodders—giving them advice, guidance, and sales support with their respective projects.

But his passion for racing and automotive performance began way, way before that.

“My grandfather was the last track official at Cloverleaf Speedway in Valley View, Ohio before it closed. He took a little bit of pay…but all his kids could get in free,” Mike grins.

With the racing seed firmly planted by Grandad, Mike and his father gradually switched from circle track to drag racing. “We found it a little more fun…and a little less dangerous,” he laughs.

“You’re not wrecking as much.”

At the heart of his motorsports journey is a 1962 Chevy Biscayne—a car that’s been in the family since Mike was a young boy.

“We’ve built every single piece of it,” he explains. “The only thing left from the car we originally bought is the roof, the rearview mirror, and the dashboard.”

Our conversation then moved to his involvement in drag racing as a profession, from racer, to crew member, to track videographer and beyond. “There’s little that I haven’t done inside a racetrack,” he smiles. “But this year, I’ve also started announcing.”

And Mike quickly explains why. “It’s great fun yelling into the mic. And as a racer AND an announcer, you know what you’re talking about. Having someone without that experience usually doesn’t go over so well,” he jokes.

“I don’t just want to race,” Mike says. “My big thing is helping YOU enjoy the race too.”

Mike admits that his multi-faceted experience in and around the drag racing industry no doubt helped him earn the 30 Under 30 honors. But perhaps more importantly, he uses the skills he’s learned along the way to help Summit Racing customers pursue their passions too.

“Being able to talk knowledgably is a huge deal here. We do as much research as possible to figure out all the little details of a build, because we’re dealing with the highest levels of racers,” he explains.

“You’ve got to know your stuff.”

And with a new 30 Under 30 award under his belt and a bright future ahead of him, it’s clear that Mike—indeed—knows his stuff.

Interested in a job with The World’s Speed Shop? Check out the Summit Racing Career Page.