Tanner Baker .... "...It's about spending time with my father and keeping our bond as strong as we can."
Posted on June 02 2025
How did you start racing?
When I was 9 years old living in northern Minnesota (16 miles from the Canadian border Northern MN) my father signed me up for a Karting school out of Ocala, FL. It was a couple day school if I remember correctly, and I just recall at the end of the school the instructors had told my dad that "There's something there with this one, you should definitely explore it"
What is your favorite car to race?
From Karts to a vintage 73 Porsche RSR, to 996 Cups and every iteration since, The technology and ease of the 992 Cup is incredible, but there won't anything like the first love. The 73 RSR on bias ply tires, running in HSR with all of the comradery of my opponents and people running out of our Dave White Racing tent, I don't think I'll ever find that experience again. Everyone I ran against, and with was like family, truly some of the best memories I have to date.
What is your favorite track?
I have to go with Sebring here. First sports car course I ever experienced, I moved to Sebring when I was 17 so I could work the racing schools. Panoz and Skip Barber at the time. Between working the schools, racing, and coaching, I'd venture to say I have over 20,000 laps over the years.
Best track day experience?
They're all great, no track day really stands out to me as the best. For me anymore its about spending time with my father, and keeping our bond as strong as we can. I'm sure this will resonate with many that participate in our passion here, but the track is our sanctuary, true bliss where no outside influence of the world or life can touch you. So they're all our greatest escape.
Worst track experience?
Grand Am- 2007-ish - Koni Challenge 996 Porsche, Qualified on slicks in inclement weather, grabbed pole at the time in the session and saw an approaching car on the line, coming up the esses behind me, I moved off line ever so slightly to let the approaching car get their lap and got bit sideways as we crested the hill. I remember saying to myself while being perpendicular to the racing line "You have to clear the armco, or were going to collect the field". Somehow I managed that, got the car back straight, and found the 6 inches of grass on drivers left as the racing surface straightened out with our left side tires. The car made an immediate right hander into the wall at over 100mph. No injuries, the Porsche and hans device did their job. The front crash beam, was in the pedal box at my feet, and the rear seat bracket bolts had sheered the threads clean off. We reached in and the seat was wobbly and found we could just remove the 4 rear seat bracket bolts manually with no effort. It was crazy.
Advice for newcomers?
Walk before you run. All to often we see someone that succumbs to their new found talent and ends up with a hurt car shortly after. Use the building blocks that are taught to you early on, and work those until you can self instruct. Use the tools that you have at your disposal, in todays age all the technology out there can greatly help accelerate your learning curve.
Tell us about you?
Nothing special here, just someone who has an extreme passion for motorsports and cars in general who was lucky enough to have someone to shed the light on what was already there. I'm grateful to have a father who shares the same passion I do, and has the same relentless pursuit of happiness and fulfillment in that passion.
Final Thoughts?
I'll leave you with the greatest advice ever given to me in motorsports. It is rule number 1 of 3 - Don't crash faster!
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