It's not a career path traveled by many: Son of Nigerian immigrants, U.S. Naval Academy graduate and football standout, stock car driver … Hollywood superstar?
Navy Lt. Jesse Iwuji has accomplished all of the above - well, almost - making his national-series driving debut in a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in Canada in August. His busy 2018 season has included several ARCA Racing Series events, beginning with a February race at Daytona International Speedway.
While he wasn't busy climbing racing's career ladder, he continued his service in the Navy Reserve, and he received national attention in June for saving a family from a roadside minivan fire.
Military Officer caught up with Iwuji, a MOAA member, to talk about his start in racing, mixing stock cars with service, and how he hopes to one day take his speed to the silver screen. The interview has been condensed for brevity and clarity.
Q: What makes the son of Nigerian immigrants gravitate toward a military career?
A: Besides my granddad, who was in the Nigerian army, we didn't really have any members of the military in my family. High school football is how I wound up at the Naval Academy. My senior year, after working really hard to get better because I wasn't a very good football player at first, they made me an offer. I thought it would be an opportunity to go to a great school, play for a great team and have a Navy career waiting for me.
Q: If you were inclined to brag about your Navy football career, which memory do you bring up first
A: The Air Force game my sophomore year is probably the best game I ever played. I think I had six or seven tackles, and I blocked a field goal that helped us win the game.
Navy Midshipman Jesse Iwuji celebrates after his team's win over Missouri in the 2009 Texas Bowl in Houston. (Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)
Q: Who encouraged you to try racing stock cars?
A: His name is Kyle Whisner. I met him at a car show. I was talking to some people about my racing goals, and he told me I should do a test with his stock car team. That was in May 2015, and after it went well he told me, “If you wanna come racing with us, you can.” I went on deployment that year, came back, and started racing stock cars after that.
Q: Does life at the academy, or on a ship, prepare you for life as one of a handful of minorities in racing
A: It has. The big thing you learn is how to overcome obstacles and keep pushing toward your objective.
Q: How does the Navy accommodate your racing career
A: I was active duty the first two years - on shore duty, luckily, which gave me all my weekends off. Last May I transitioned to the Navy Reserve, where I'm only on duty once a month.
Q: A few months back, you made headlines after rescuing a family moments before their minivan caught fire by the side of the highway. What made you pull over?
A: I saw fluids leaking from the bottom of the motor and forming a puddle that all of a sudden sparked a small flame. I knew that small flame would soon ignite into a fireball. I have never seen this on the side of the highway before. My first instinct was to pull over and help so no one would get hurt.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?
A: I'll probably be at least two or three years away from retiring from racing and then moving on to Hollywood. I want to be in a big blockbuster film.
Q: So you're gunning for The Rock?
A: (Laughs) I didn't want to say that, but you said it for me. Between now and then, though, I just want to move up the ranks.