Mike Basham (racing driver)
A gritty, independent stock car racer who carved out a decades-long career on America's regional circuits, often with his family by his side.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American racing driver·Birthday: June 20·Generation X
Biography
Mike Basham's life in racing is a testament to persistence and family tradition. Born into the sport as the son of ARCA veteran Darrell Basham, Mike grew up around the grease and gasoline of the Midwest short tracks. Rather than chasing NASCAR's bright lights, he built a steady, respected career in the ARCA Menards Series and its regional divisions, known for his ability to bring a car home in one piece on a tight budget. For years, he was a familiar face driving for family-run and underfunded teams, most notably piloting the No. 11 Ford for Fast Track Racing. His story is less about trophy hoarding and more about the pure, sustained love of driving, representing the backbone of American stock car racing—the drivers who compete for the thrill long after the grandstands have emptied.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mike was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mike Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Mike's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Competed professionally in the ARCA Menards Series for multiple decades, often on a part-time basis.
- Has driven the No. 11 car for Fast Track Racing in the ARCA Menards Series East.
- Followed in the footsteps of his father, Darrell Basham, a long-time competitor in the same series.
Did You Know?
His father, Darrell Basham, made over 300 starts in the ARCA Menards Series.
He has occasionally competed in ARCA's national series as well as its regional East and West divisions.
The number 11 car he often drives is a staple entry for the underdog Fast Track Racing team.
“Racing is in my blood; it's what we do on Saturday nights.”
