Mike Magic (left) and his 17-year-old son, Michael Magic, race Speed2 midgets, mostly in the Southern States Midget Series. Through racing they make memories that both will forever treasure.
The eldest Magic has spent a lifetime going fast. He’s done BMX and motocross, and raced four-wheelers, bicycles, micro sprints, and midgets.
Mike served in the U.S. Navy for six years. He applied the fabrication skills he honed during his time in the U.S. Navy to motorsports when he got out of the service. Highlights of his résumé include several 24 Hours of Daytona races, a stint at Brumos Racing, and working on a GT-championship-winning team in what’s now called the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
“I always wanted to be a pro driver,” said Mike, of Winder, Georgia. “If I couldn’t do that, I wanted to make a career somehow in racing.”
Today Mike works as an independent fabricator, with his business Full Circle Motorsports Fabrication, of Braselton, Georgia.
“I’m not rich by any means,” Mike said, “but I’m richer than most guys because I can go racing when I want to go racing.”
Waning and Waxing Interest
With a life revolving around motorsports, you might think Mike’s son, Michael, might have wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. Initially, that wasn’t the case. With lackluster interest from his son and mini sprints costs escalating, Mike Magic saw it as a sign to hang up the helmet.
“At the time, Michael would rather play video games,” Magic said. “I said, ‘The heck with it.’ Michael didn’t want to race, so I sold everything and bought a fishing boat.”
A year and a half later, racing came calling for Mike — literally. Winder Barrow Speedway, located where Mike lives, was hosting a midget race.
“[Southern States Midget Series promoter] Wayne Davis called me up asking if I wanted to drive a midget,” said Magic. “I was like, ‘No, not interested.’
“[Davis said,] ‘C’mon, man. I know you live close. Come look at the car. Drive it for hot laps. If you decide you don’t like it, you don’t have to run it.’
“My son’s like, ‘C’mon, Dad. Go try! What do you got to lose?’
“We drove it. We wound up having a blast.”
Now Mike’s son showed interested in racing.
“He was like, ‘Well, Dad, if I’m going to the races with you, I’m not just going to be your helper — I want to race, too,’” said Mike. “He’s a whole different animal now. When we get home [from the races] he’s pulling the car out and getting it washed. I’m not having to beg him to clean the car or help get the trailer loaded or unloaded.”
A Weekend They Will Never Forget
Last year, the Magics spent a weekend in Indiana. They raced at Montpelier Motor Speedway, where Mike enjoyed the race of his life — and he wasn’t even behind the wheel.
“I’ll never forget this,” Mike said. “This was the best night of racing in my life. Chuck Taylor, who runs [USAC] Midwest Thunder Midgets [said the Montpelier race] was an open midget deal.
“I was like, ‘What’s an open midget deal?’
“He said, ‘There’s going to be some national cars, but … there will be two or three fast ones — the rest you won’t have to worry about.’
“We get there early, and the first trailer that comes in is Clauson-Marshall Racing. I thought there wasn’t going to be any [teams] we would have to worry about. Then, Petry [Motorsports] shows up. There were 37 midgets, and half of them were national cars.”
Despite stiff competition, Michael shined. Mike parked his car for the night and watched.
“Michael had to run one of the B features. He started on the pole and beat second-place by half a track. I was so excited. Michael finished seventh [in the feature], from [starting 17th], and he was the second Speed2 car.”
Looking Toward the Future
Mike Magic has a new perspective on racing after seeing his son race.
“When he got into a [race] car, something changed in me,” said Mike. “When he raced in Montpelier, it was more enjoyable for me to watch him and see how good he was.”
The Magics recently spent a weekend at Sebring International Raceway helping a sports car team, giving Michael a taste of what it’s like to work for an organization in that realm.
“Hopefully, he can make a career out of racing,” Mike said. “You don’t need a college education to do good in this country. You just have to be willing to work hard and be good at whatever you do. That’s what I try to teach him and hopefully that rubs off on him with racing.”
The Outside Groove Executive Editor has covered motorsports since 2000. His many awards include the 2019 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Jim Hunter Writer of the Year and the 2013 Russ Catlin Award for Excellence in Motorsports Journalism.
