For the past six years, Andrew Coates has been making a name for himself on asphalt tracks across Indiana. The La Porte native, now a seasoned street stock competitor, got his first taste of motorsports at just 5 years old—behind the handlebars of a four-wheeler.
“We started out on four-wheelers and dirt bikes,” Coates said. “Then we had these old yard karts my dad got us. He helped us mount engines on them, and we carved out a dirt track around my grandma’s property. That’s where the racing really started.”
After a year in a front-wheel-drive four-cylinder class at South Bend Motor Speedway, Coates, then 16, jumped into organized quarter-mile street stock races. With guidance from local racers Austin and Kevin Woodcox, Coates and his family transformed a used car into a competitive ride.
“Austin and Kevin helped guide us in the right direction,” Coates said. “We bought a mostly finished car, tore it down, and rebuilt it into a top-notch street stock. My favorite part is taking something slower and making it faster.”
That hands-on approach paid off. In 2022, Coates won his first track championship at South Bend, while also setting a new track record.
“We made some big changes over the winter,” Coates said. “Opening night, I was unsure how it would go, but I drove right around everybody and won my first feature. That whole season was huge.”
Racing is a family operation for Coates. Pre-race preparation includes nut-and-bolt checks, fluid changes, weight adjustments, and setting tire stagger and camber based on track conditions. Bigger venues like Winchester Speedway require even more precision, larger engines and stiffer chassis components to handle the higher speeds.
“Locally, you don’t need crazy horsepower, but at Winchester, we were under-powered until we built a bigger motor,” Coates said. “Safety is everything at those speeds.”
On the track, Coates emphasizes respect and patience.
“If you don’t respect the people you’re racing against, they won’t respect you,” Coates said. “I focus on strategy and keep calm. Once I’m buckled in, everything else clears from my mind.”
His success is rooted in strong family support. His younger brother lends a hand in the garage, and his father—who encouraged him to take welding classes in high school, remains a driving force behind the scenes. Coates now uses those welding skills to help other racers and works for Kenco Plastics.
“My dad’s been a huge part of this,” Coates said. “He pushed me to improve. He’s got an incredible work ethic, and I want to live up to that.”
Outside the track, Coates volunteers at the Hesston Steam Museum, fabricating parts for its steam trains. He also enjoys time outdoors—cruising in his Jeep or his family’s British sports cars, and recently took up riding stand-up jet skis on Pine Lake.
Looking ahead, Coates is preparing to move into the sportsman class, a step up that introduces new chassis, bump springs, and shock setups. He’s backed by local sponsors including Midwest Metal Products, Michiana Mechanical, MoField Property Service, and Left Turn Graphics.
“I want to try something new,” Coates said. “Street stock has been a lot of fun, but I’m ready to challenge myself in a new class.”
His ultimate dream is racing in NASCAR, though he acknowledges the steep financial path it requires. For now, Coates encourages young racers to get hands-on experience at their local track.
“Go to the track, talk to a racer, and ask if you can help out in the shop,” Coates said. “The more seat time you get, the better.”
Coates’s blend of grit, gratitude, and garage know-how keeps his racing career accelerating. His advice to the next generation?
“Start sooner,” Coates said. “The quicker you get behind the wheel, the better you’ll be. Nothing beats seat time.