During the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, Michael Hinde has grabbed the headlines and the attention of onlookers. Two pro late model wins and a second-place in the first three races at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway should garner that. However, fans love the flowing mullet Hinde carries and the flames that adorn his race cars.
“A lot of people know me as the ‘Mullet Kid,’ but it looks good with the flames,” said Hinde, 17, of Hernando, Florida. “There’s nobody else like it.”
Unique, indeed, in the pavement world. Hinde elaborated on the genesis of the hairstyle that beckons back a few decades before Hinde’s birth.
“Four years ago, me and my buddies decided to grow mullets,” Hinde said. “It got popular a few years later, and I decided to keep it. I feel like I’m known for it now.”
With flames adorning his cars and his suit, Hinde said he’s simply being himself.
“[The driver’s] personality goes along with their car,” said Hinde. “If you see a plain car, normally, [the driver is] kind of plain. But, you see a car like [super late model driver Stephen] Nasse’s, he’s got a bright, flashy car. He’s really outgoing, willing to talk with anybody.”
Hinde started out racing modified minis, but then went late model racing at age 15 with money he earned from his YouTube channel “Badass Hillclimbers”. It has more than 492,000 subscribers.
“I do a lot of four-wheeler and dirt-bike hill climbing all over Florida,” Hinde said. “I ended up getting a bunch of views from that, and making a bunch of money to get a late model [as] I love circle-track racing.”
Ultimately, Michael Hinde isn’t afraid to let his hair down, and have fun. That has equated to him earning money on YouTube and fans as well.
“A lot of teams are very serious, and when it’s time to be serious, we are, too,” said Hinde. But, if you’re not having fun, there’s no point in being here. A lot of people forget that.”
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.
