By: Dr. Derek Wilcox
If you believe in fate, my origin story might convince you I was destined for a life built around performance. I was born in 1987, on the day of the Daytona 500. Bill Elliott won that race, which my mom has never forgotten—not because she’s a NASCAR fan, but because my dad insisted on watching it while she was in early labor.
Legend has it, when I came home from the hospital, there was a football in my crib and a tiny set of golf clubs waiting beside it, like my path was already marked by sports and speed. And if you rewind about nine months before that day in Bristol, Tennessee, the IHRA Spring Nationals were underway. Tim Grose beat Kenny Bernstein in Funny Car, and according to family lore, that’s also when I won my own race into existence.
So maybe it’s no surprise that I’ve always felt a deep, almost spiritual connection between motorsports and human performance.
Racecars and Human Bodies: Built to Perform
The parallels between racecars and our bodies run deep. On a macro level:
- Chassis = Skeleton
- Engine = Muscles
- Ignition = Nervous System
- Suspension = Connective Tissues
- Fuel System = Digestive System
Just like a racecar, the human body is built to generate and transfer force in skilled, specific, and explosive ways across a field or around a track to beat the clock or the competition.
Zoom in to the micro level, and the similarities keep coming. Inside our "engine," actin and myosin filaments slide like pistons, generating power strokes in a sarcomere that functions like a crankshaft turning a drive shaft of muscular force. Our nervous system sends electrical signals to fire movement patterns, just like spark plug wires from a distributor sending current to a combustion chamber.
Motor neurons act like spark plugs, delivering precise electrical impulses to produce finely tuned, complex motion. It’s all timed, patterned, and deliberate.
What Fuels the Human Engine?
In this metaphor, protein becomes the aluminum components of an engine block, forming the durable hardware for explosive reactions. Water and fats work like motor oil, lubricating joints and helping the system run smoothly.
Then there’s fuel—carbohydrates. Their variety and performance impact rival the fuel options in racing:
You wouldn’t pour nitro into a stock engine without risking damage. The same principle applies to your body. Too much high-powered fuel too often, and something is bound to break.
The Real Difference: We Don’t Buy New Parts, We Build Them
Race teams swap out engines and transmissions as needed. We don’t have that option. But we can build higher-performance parts by training smarter and recovering better.
Just like a racecar needs a tune-up tailored to its event, we need training that matches our sport or goals. Developing the body holistically helps prevent breakdowns and keeps the system performing at a high level.
From Powerlifting to Pit Lane
That mindset shaped my own competitive career. As a powerlifter, I wasn’t just the driver. I was the crew chief too. I had to know everything about how my body worked, recovered, and performed. I had to understand how to run my hot rod and get the most out of it.
That drive led me to earn a PhD in Sport Physiology and Performance. Along the way, I broke several all-time powerlifting records. And that same approach eventually brought me into the world of professional motorsports.
Crossing Paths with Clay Millican
In 2017, I teamed up with Dr. Kaela Hierholzer to support Clay Millican, one of the icons of Top Fuel drag racing. Clay has been racing the world’s fastest machines for about as long as I’ve been lifting.
While I was chasing records on the powerlifting platform, he was doing the same on the drag strip. He’s run a best elapsed time of 3.628 seconds over 1000 feet, hit a top speed of 338 miles per hour, and earned six IHRA World Championships.
Working with Clay brought everything full circle. It combined everything I’d ever studied and experienced about performance, pressure, and precision.
Final Lesson: It’s the People, Not Just the Performance
Stats are cool. Wins are great. But what really sticks with you are the people you train, compete, and grow with. The coaches, teammates, and mentors make the journey worthwhile.
Whatever kind of racecar you decide to be, build it with pride. And when it’s time to compete?
As Clay says,
“Stomp on that loud pedal,”
and get after it.
If you’re looking to take your performance to the next level—whether that’s in the gym, on the track, or anywhere in between—personalized coaching can make a world of difference. I work with clients 1:1 to build stronger engines, balance the system, and fine-tune their approach for real results.
Find Dr. Wilcox on..
Instagram: @wilcoxstrengthinc
