Hello!
My name is Joe Lusk, and I own and operate a limited late model race car here in Central Pennsylvania. Racing has always been a passion of mine since I was old enough to walk. I loved watching NASCAR on Sundays with my mom and dad as a kid.
At 3, my mom and dad bought a go kart from our neighbor, strapped my car seat into it, and bolted some 2x4s to the pedals so I could reach them. I loved it so much, that’s all I ever wanted to do.
At 5, my dad saw me sliding the go-kart around in the stones by the road, and decided that I might be good at racing. We got a dirt racing kart, and from then on, it became our family tradition to race every weekend. Some kids chose baseball, some choose football, but I was already sold on racing.
Throughout my childhood, my dad would spend countless hours in the garage making my kart as competitive as possible, and that hard work paid off with success. At 10 I moved to a 125cc micro sprint car, then at 13 a 270cc.
At 16, I was extremely lucky to have sponsors help me move to a pro stock. I was so lucky to pilot this car, which was developed by C.W. Smith, who was a huge influence in my racing career. This car made me look really good – I won in my first ever race, and would go on to visit victory lane 7 times and eventually win the track championship at Clinton County Speedway (then called Racing For Heroes Raceway).
At 18 we moved to a limited late model – which was a whole new challenge. I had taken for granted that the cars I was driving were extremely fast. I honestly expected to win out of the gate-but I learned quickly how competitive and complicated they are to get right. To this day, I am still searching for my first late model win.
In 2020, right before the pandemic, Danny and Julie Amato from Victoria in Australia connected with me. Lucky, grateful, honored… These are the words I have for Danny and Julie. They invited me to visit, and I made my first Super Late Model start in Danny’s Swartz Chassis at Redline Raceway near Ballarat. I ran three races, in Australia, with my best finish being second in Moama. This entire trip is still mind blowing to me. I did not deserve the kindness I experienced from the Amatos and everyone else I met down under.
Racing is very special to me. It has always been the tradition that held my family together for years. My Dad and I formed a very special bond through racing. After his unexpected passing in 2021, it means so much more to me. It keeps me sane, and helps my mom and I feel close to him. Naturally, I had to scale back our racing operation in the years since dad passed. This stuff is a lot of work. But that’s okay. Now, I race a part time schedule, with a focus learning and improving.
I am also using YouTube as a platform to share my passion with the world.
If you made it this far, I am grateful for lending me a bit of your time. Please continue to chase your dreams and pursue your passions. It makes the world a better place. Thank you, and see you at the track!