PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Stephen Mallozzi is a Swedesboro, New Jersey native who has had a passion for racing his entire life.
In July 2022, after a long road, he made his debut as a NASCAR driver, finishing 22nd out of 36 competitors at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
“It’s all I ever dreamed of, since I was a little kid. It's one of those things that you grow up never expecting to do. And if it actually happens, you're beside yourself with so many emotions that you can't describe,” said Mallozzi.
“I got out of the truck and Josh [Reaume, owner of Reaume Brothers Racing] was the first person to come over to meet my team [and] gives me a hug. Tears start to flow. You know, you see your family or friends. Then I saw my mom and then I saw my dad, and when I hugged my dad, there are some great shots of me hugging my dad and it's a river, man. It's really emotional because you never expect that you can do that.”
In the latest “1-on-1 with Matt Leon” episode, Matt welcomes Mallozzi to talk about his life in racing. They talk about his early days racing go-karts, the impact his dad’s cancer diagnosis had on him, what it was like to race at Mid-Ohio and much more.
Listen to the full podcast below.