A ProAutoSports Weekend to Remember at Chuckwalla

It was supposed to be just another weekend of seat time and learning for two rising young race car drivers, members of the Podium Club in Casa Grande, AZ. Instead, it became the kind of motorsports story that will get told and retold for years.

Nineteen-year-old Bradley Erickson and his 16-year-old brother Jeffery made the trip from Phoenix to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, near Blythe, CA, on the final weekend of March, expecting solid competition, fun, and valuable experience in the ProAutoSports event. What they didn’t expect was to find themselves sharing the track with two legends of the sport: Tony Stewart and Boris Said.

Stewart, 54, is one of the most versatile drivers in racing history—the only man to win championships in both IndyCar and NASCAR Cup, and the first to claim USAC’s coveted Triple Crown across Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown competition. Said, 63, brings his own résumé of excellence, including an IMSA championship, victories at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, and wins in both the NASCAR O'Reillys Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck Series.

Both veterans were at Chuckwalla for one simple reason: fun. Each had accepted an invitation to drive Porsche GT2 RS Clubsport machines — high-performance, track day-only race cars built with European precision and refinement. Meanwhile, the Erickson brothers were piloting Chevrolet Camaro Trans Am T2 cars — front-engine, V8-powered behemoths that rely as much on driver feel and aggression as they do on raw horsepower to perform.

It set the stage for a classic motorsports contrast: youth versus experience, American muscle versus German engineering.

From the moment the cars hit the track, however, it was clear the Erickson brothers were not intimidated. In time trials, Bradley stunned the field by putting his Camaro on pole position, with Jeffery right behind him in P2. Stewart and Said — despite their immense experience — found themselves chasing the teenagers.

In the qualifying race, Jeffery finished first while Bradley was unable to start due to a mechanical issue on his out lap.  Boris finished second with 'Smoke' coming home third.

When the green flag dropped for the main race, the event delivered both drama and validation. Bradley, who had shown blistering pace all weekend, suffered suspension issues that forced him out after just three laps -- but not before he set a new GTO track record.

That left 16-year-old Jeffery to carry the family banner — and he delivered. Driving with composure well beyond his years, Jeffery held his own against Stewart and Said in an unseasonably hot (104 degrees), unusually high-pressure environment. In the end, he crossed the line in second place, finishing behind Stewart but ahead of Said — an extraordinary result for a driver still years away from most professional racing opportunities.

Yet the biggest takeaway from the weekend wasn’t just the finishing order. For the Erickson brothers,  the experience of sharing a track with legends proved both memorable and extremely invaluable. They witnessed firsthand the mindset that separates great drivers from the rest.

Stewart, despite being at a track he had never seen before, approached every session with intensity and focus. There was no sense that this was a casual outing interspersed between his 2026 NHRA Top Fuel racing commitments — only a relentless drive to learn the circuit, find speed, and compete at the highest level possible.

For Bradley and Jeffery, that example may prove even more important than any trophy.

It was a weekend filled with challenges, breakthroughs, and unforgettable moments — a rare intersection of generations in motorsport. And for two young drivers chasing their dreams, it was a glimpse of what greatness looks like up close.