Landon Cassill’s journey to the top hasn’t been easy and he’s had to get his hands dirty a time or two — but that’s what racing’s all about, he says. 27 year old Landon Cassill, driver of the #34 Love’s Travel Stop Ford Fusion , grew up as a small-town boy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He began his racing journey at a very early age, racing four wheelers at the age of 4 — eventually making his way into go karts at the age of 8. It seems as though he liked to race anything with four wheels — go karts, legends, modifieds, midgets, the list goes on. What inspired the boy from Iowa to make his racing hobby into a lifelong career?
When asked if he ever experienced an “a-ha moment” that made him realize he wanted to be a racer, Landon says that there was never an epiphany moment. Racing was always a part of his life and he was interested in anything with 4 wheels from the get-go. When he began keeping up with racing and exploring different types of race cars, this is when he realized that his hobby had become a career. As his racing career progressed, Landon competed in various types of racecars on both dirt and asphault. He points out that he raced less on dirt, but both were fun, regardless. His most memorable win, he recounts, was Oktoberfest in 2006, which was in Wisconsin. Wins were fun, but Landon’s fondest memories from his early days are memories of being in the shop, working on his cars with his best friend Danny. Landon likes being hands-on with his cars, but notes that the sport has progressed substantially and technology has changed, so now a team of people is needed to reach ultimate success. As Landon’s personal success grew on the racetrack, so did his opportunities to grow as a driver.
In 2006, Landon became a Research & Developement driver for Hendrick Motorsports. From 2007 to 2011, he was a test driver for Jimmie Johnson and the #48 team. When asked about this experience, Landon has nothing but positive things to say. He says that the experience with the championship team helped earn him credibility in the Cup Series, gave him valuable seat time behind the wheel and helped him realize the expenses involved in creating a high-performing race car and a championship-caliber team. This experience also helped him get a real feel for what different tracks are like and how cars handle in different situations. To gain more practice behind the wheel, Landon occasionally uses iRacing, of which he says the accuracy of the tracks and the track visuals are out of this world. He also uses a Ford simulator for additional practice. Racing is a demanding sport that can take a toll on you physically and mentally, but Landon always keeps an optimistic outlook about racing and life in general.
Anyone that’s a racing fan knows that Landon is very active on Twitter, where he is frequently joking around with drivers like Dale Jr. and Ryan Blaney. Landon is both hilarious and witty, which is entertaining in both real life and behind a computer screen. When asked how he remains such a positive person in such a demanding sport, he notes that every day isn’t easy. He says that racing is tough and every day is a battle. There’s always going to be a team out there with more resources, which can be frustrating. But, it’s all about resetting your body and mind after each track so you can put all your effort into preparing for the next week. His wife Katie and his children help him remain positive. When asked about married life and fatherhood, he says that honestly it’s the best thing that has ever happened to him. Talking about his son, he says that he wants to support him in anything he does and teach him that achieving goals takes hard work and dedication, but you should never give up on your goals. In addition to keeping a healthy mindset, Landon believes that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is very important for success in the sport. Landon does a lot of triathalon training for long-distance races, which he enjoys. He considers drivers to be endurance athletes — having to go 400-600 miles in a car that can reach temperatures over 140 degrees inside the car. He does enjoy cycling as other drivers do, but he jokes that you won’t find him joining the Jimmie Johnson cycling club any time soon, preferring to cycle indoors on a bike. Landon’s worked hard to make it where he is in the Cup Series, and it’s only looking up from here.
Landon recounts his favorite memory from the Cup Series so far, which is when he raced his way into the Daytona 500 in 2014. He had been in the race before, but this was a time where he had to get in on his own. He had the entire #40 team relying on him, and he said that making this race was a pivotal moment for the team and a big boost for the momentum going into the season. Getting into this race alone put the team in a really good place, leaving Landon feeling like he reached a great personal accomplishment and didn’t let anyone down. During the offseason, Landon’s team made the switch from the #38 to the #34, gaining a new title sponsor in Love’s Travel Stop. Landon has nothing but wonderful things to say about his sponsor, saying that they go the extra mile to help promote him and his race team, setting up store visits so he can meet new fans. He says that Love’s has a great core base and great marketing skills. His face is even on the side of one of their tanker trucks, which he says is crazy, yet surreal. In terms of working with a new sponsor, Landon says that learning new names and faces takes some getting used to, but it’s well worth it. As for his advice for young people trying to make it in the sport? He encourages young drivers to make friends and connections everywhere. He also suggests finding a mentor with a lot of racing experience that can teach you a thing or two. Above all, he says it’s all about digging in and making sure that you are being the best driver that you can possibly be, always working hard to be better than anyone else.
I’d like to thank Landon for his time and for being my first Monster Energy Cup Series driver feature. I highly suggest checking out Landon on social media, which is sure to make you laugh. Check him out here:
