Our Story
“Some of the world’s greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible.”
Idiot Racing was built out of the vision and grit of one novice racecar builder with an extensive bucket list. Founded in 2020 by Michael Steel, Idiot Racing began as a ragtag racing team whose dream it is to build and race a stock 1970 Volkswagen Beetle in Class 11 of the Score International Baja 500 on June 13, 2021. For a quick recap of how that went, click here.
Now, armed with lessons learned, Idiot Racing is chasing down the next dream - the Baja 1000 on November 18-19, 2021. And you best believe we will get there!!
At first glance, what sets Idiot Racing apart from other teams is the vision of a first-time racer whose bucket list item was to build and then race an off-road race car, and then actually working towards that goal. As you get to know the brand through our Instagram page or website, you will learn that the “Idiot” in charge actually has an exacting eye, a reasonable budget, a lot of determination, and is more than willing to ask and answer questions about the whole process. The result is someone who makes you believe that anything is possible, including racing a 50-year-old rust bucket through the desert!
Who we are
Mike Steel (The Builder and Driver)
The “Idiot” in charge may be a novice race car builder and racer, but make no mistake - he is no dummy. Instead, Mike is someone who sees opportunities in all things, rather than obstacles, and is willing to try almost anything. The result is someone who makes you believe that anything is possible, including successfully racing a 50-year-old rust bucket for 1000 miles through the desert!
Mike fell in love with off-road desert racing as a 17-year-old in Orange County, CA. When the COVID-19 pandemic left him stuck at home and out of projects, he decided to finally make his dream of racing in Baja a reality! With the help of his Instagram followers and our amazing partners, he made it to the Baja 500, with more yet to come.
Mike does all of his builds in his garage in Tampa, FL, typically accompanied by at least one of his three dogs or two cats.
Cynthia Steel, MBA, PhD (The Business Side)
Cynthia’s day job as the Director of Translational Research at a start-up biotech company doesn’t exactly fit in to the world of desert racing, but what’s life without a few twists and turns? Her role at Idiot Racing encompasses almost everything outside the garage, from coordinating sponsorships to content management to accounting. Oh, and she’s a (reluctant) chase truck driver.
Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Cynthia prides herself on being slow and deliberate in all things, which makes her the perfect antithesis to her Idiot husband. And, in turn, he definitely makes her life a lot more exciting and makes substantial contributions to her stress levels.
The Team
Our team for the Baja 1000 is getting larger by the day! We are so thankful to everyone who has volunteered to drive, chase for us, or be part of our pit crew. If you’re serious, we are serious about having you!
For now, we are so excited to officially have as part of our driving team the awesome folks from Dust Buggy, Spencer and Ashley! Check out their YouTube channel and Instagram account and give them some Idiot love!