NASCAR driver Mason Massey discusses stuttering & career

Originally from Douglasville, Georgia, Mason Massey is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado for Young's Motorsports. He has also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the ARCA Menards Series East in the past. Massey has recorded over 200 feature wins, 11 championships, and 10 track records across multiple classes. He currently resides in Mooresville, North Caroilna.

Family: My family has always been involved in racing. I remember going to watch my uncle race when I was very young, and that’s what first initially made me want to do it. We are a very close family, and we have always supported each other in everything we do.

Hobbies, Interests, Passions: Racing consumes most of my time, but I really enjoy golfing and fitness. Racing is number one. I always try to spread positivity, and I’m passionate about being there for other people who stutter.

Successes: I have a great support system that is most important. I’ve had the same goals since I was very young, and I’ve trusted in God’s plan for me throughout my whole career. I’ve done my best to make sure nothing interferes with the goals that I have.

Q: Do you remember when you first began to stutter?
A: I do not specially remember, but my parents said I started stuttering when I was around 3 years old.

Q: Does it run in your family? Who else stutters?
A: It does, my grandmother and my uncle have a stutter. I tried many different pathologists, the best one I’ve ever had is Tim Mackesey. I started going to him when I was 8 years old, and he helped me throughout my teen years as well. He really helped me become more comfortable speaking with people, and really helped me with techniques to help my fluency. I still use everything he told me today..

Q: Has your stuttering gotten worse or better since you were younger? How?
A: My stuttering has gotten much better as I’ve gotten older. You have your good days and bad days, but the older I get the better I am at managing those bad days. I stuttered a lot when I was a child, and still stutter, but I really worked hard on trying to put myself out there a lot. For me, it was all about accepting who I am and that I will always have a stutter. When I finally stopped worrying about what people thought of my stutter, I became more comfortable and I could really focus on my techniques I’ve learned over the years.

Q: How did it affect you growing up?
A: It was definitely tough at times. I had many moments where I just didn’t know what to do anymore, and I would just give up on trying to improve it. It took me awhile to realize that I am more than a stutter. When you let it just absolutely consume you, it only gets worse and worse. So, as a young kid, it’s hard to accept something about yourself that nobody else around you is going through. I didn’t have the confidence that I needed yet.

Q: How does stuttering affect you as a professional driver?
A: As a driver, we have to be in constant communication with our team, do interviews, and interact with fans. It has its challenges, but I have always tried to not let it affect me doing what I love. As a kid, it was definitely harder because I just didn’t like interacting with people. I’ve had a good experience in NASCAR with it so far. I’ve put myself out there way more, and that has helped me gain so much more confidence.

Q: How has discussing your stutter openly been received by fans? Any special stories of feedback from fans or other people who stutter? How is your stuttering today? What do you do to control or manage it, if anything?
A: It has gotten an overwhelming amount of positivity. I have talked with many people who stutter since then, and I’ve really enjoyed the conversations I’ve had with everybody. I just make sure other stutterers know that if I can do what I’m doing, they can do anything they set their mind to. It felt like a weight that was lifted off my shoulders after I started being open about it. It has actually improved since then. I do believe that if you let go of that anxiety of hoping people don’t hear you stutter it can be freeing.

Q: What are the biggest challenges stuttering has presented to you?
A: It was definitely tough at times. I had many moments where I just didn’t know what to do anymore, and I would just give up on trying to improve it. It took me awhile to realize that I am more than a stutter. When you let it just absolutely consume you, it only gets worse and worse. So, as a young kid, it’s hard to accept something about yourself that nobody else around you is going through. I didn’t have the confidence that I needed yet.

Q: What is your greatest accomplishment with regard to stuttering?
A: In regards to stuttering, I think my biggest accomplishment has been being open and talking about it here lately. To see how many people were positively affected by me doing that, it’s an amazing feeling. Stutterers all sort of feel a connection to each other because we know what we have all been through. It’s been really cool to hear other people’s stories and give them a positive message.

Q: Based upon your experiences, what would you like to tell children who stutter?
A: Find something you love to do, make goals, and focus on that. Do not let your stutter hold you back. It is a challenge you have to overcome, but it’s not something that should hold you back. Everyone has challenges they face in their life; you develop character and confidence by overcoming them. I’ve always tried to use it to motivate me, and keep me fired up to accomplish my goals in life. Don’t let worrying about what other people think get in the way of what you love to do.

Q: Based upon your experiences, what would you tell parents of children who stutter?
A: I would say that stuttering is a lot for a child to go through. It is much harder to make friends, and it is harder as a child to understand how to deal with a stutter. Understand that there will be good days and there will be not so good days. Help them find something they love to do, and encourage them to put themselves out there as much as they can.

Learn more about Mason at www.masonmassey.com and follow him on Instagram and Facebook at @masonmasseyracing

From the Spring 2024 Magazine