“What I love about racing is the level of intensity and competition,” said Szuch. “I think there’s something really raw and cool about getting into a machine designed to go as fast as possible and trying to outmaneuver other people.”

Drew Szuch giving a post-race interview.

Racing has always been part of Szuch’s life. At age 12, he began competing in karting events at his local track in Illinois. When it came time to apply to college, he knew there was only one place he wanted to go: Purdue. 

“I knew that if I wanted to be a race car driver I would need the engineering skills but also the business skills,” said Szuch. “That’s why I decided to come to Indianapolis.”

In 2024, he took the next step in his racing career and bought his own formula car, fixed it up, and raced it in the Ligier Junior Formula Championship — a starting point for drivers to transition from karts to single-seater race cars.

Drew and his student teammates work on his 2024 formula car, an entirely self-funded and self-managed team.

“I took a huge gamble on myself and bought a race car and started my own racing team called Szuch Racing,” said Szuch. “It was just me and some friends from school, working out of my parents’ garage.”

His team was made up of entirely Purdue Engineering students. With no prior experience, they learned together how to manage a racing team. Szuch was also teaching himself how to drive a formula car, which is a far different skillset from karting. 

“The 2024 season went really well actually,” said Szuch.  “We were able to score a podium during the final race, but it was a long road to get there. We had a lot of struggles, and it took a lot of time to figure things out.”

That season, Szuch was a jack of all trades: driver, mechanic, owner, and student. Balancing racing and school wasn’t always easy, especially with monthly travel.

In 2025, Szuch joined Berg Racing, looking to focus on developing as a driver. The team is led by Allen Berg, a former Formula One driver. Szuch had an impressive first season, earning four wins, three poles, and seven podiums. He finished the year as the series’ co-champion.

Drew celebrating after a victory at Virginia International Raceway.

“Driving for Berg Racing really allowed me to just focus on driving,” said Szuch. “Having the time to better my driving skills and to have a mentor along the way has been tremendous.” 

Despite the professional experience he’s gaining, Szuch still relies heavily on what he’s learned in class and through the Motorsports Engineering Club. 

“Driving a racecar is really fun,” said Szuch. “But there’s a lot of work that goes into it. Being able to take the work I do in the classroom and relate it to what I’m doing on the track is pretty incredible.”

Drew during one of his 2025 season races.

Szuch is still planning his 2026 season but is already preparing for another year of competition.

“If I had any advice to give it would be to take every single opportunity you get,” said Szuch. “And to never lose sight of your goal.”

Drew Szuch attends classes at Dallara headquarters in Speedway, Indiana, where IndyCars are built.

Instagram: @drew.szuch, @bergracing_

Website: https://www.szuchracing.com

Purdue Motorsports Engineering: https://engineering.purdue.edu/motorsports

Writer: Julia Davis, juliadavis@purdue.edu