Tony Iverson hears the comments when his son steps out of his race car on victory lane.
“Oh, I didn’t realize he was a kid,” other drivers say after looking at curly haired, 11-year-old Miken Iverson, both surprised and humbled by his maturity and confidence behind the wheel.
Then again, Miken, from Galesville, Wisconsin, is not your typical sixth grader. He started racing cars when he was 5. By the time he was 8, sponsorships began pouring in. He has since won five track championships and a national title.
“I go out there and drive all I’ve got,” said Miken, whose Miken Iverson Racing team has been sponsored by Global Finishing Solutions® (GFS) the past two years. “You’re going fast. Some people get scared, and some people don’t. I don’t get scared. I just go fast.”
Miken grew up in a family of drivers. His grandfather, uncle, cousin and two older brothers all raced. In addition to picking their brains, he spends countless hours watching videos of other drivers — studying lines and formulating tactical approaches.
“We have a lot of great people around us who have a ton of experience and are willing to reach out and help him hone his skills and give him direction,” said Miken’s father, Tony. “He also puts in the time and effort and passion to be in the garage and ask the right questions. Not ask them just to ask them. He actually wants to know. He shows the drive and initiative to do it.”
The last three years, Miken has raced on 27 tracks in 12 states. There have been plenty of learning moments. Like last year when a big wreck caused his car to roll three times — each at 50 mph. He suffered a concussion and was sidelined for a couple weeks.
“He still makes mistakes. He’s still a kid,” Tony said. “But he learns from his mistakes. It usually does not happen more than once. He has always had good throttle control. He drives hard but he does not put himself or the car in bad positions.”
Tony often pounds the pavement, asking local businesses to sponsor Miken. Some are leery putting their money behind an 11-year-old, however, he consistently beats drivers who are in their late 20s, all the way up to their late 50s.
“We couldn’t be happier to have the support of GFS and help get GFS’ name out there,” said Tony, who once worked in GFS’ manufacturing shop.
It is hard to argue Miken’s results. He placed third at the renowned Tulsa Shootout in 2022 and won the 2023 junior sprint national championship. Three top-five finishes have him third in the eco mod division at Mississippi Thunder Speedway, a dirt track in Fountain City, Wisconsin.
Age is seemingly not a factor when you are winning as much as Miken.
“It doesn’t matter if he’s 40 or if he’s 10. Race him the same way,” Tony said. “As much seat time he has and experience he has, people assume he’s older.”
Racing mostly adults hardly fazes Miken anymore. Especially when he’s blowing past them on the track.
“I just try to beat them,” Miken said with a grin.
One of the best ways to highlight your business is through a story that you can share across your online platforms. It humanizes your business and shows that your business can make a meaningful impact. Your testimonial would be used as a project profile on the GFS Booth Blog and can be shared on your website and/or social media channels.
Complete this form and we’ll be in touch to showcase your company.
Shop a variety of GFS aftermarket products, including booth protection products and mobile accelerated curing units. And enjoy the convenience of fast and free ground shipping throughout the contiguous United States.
Located at GFS’ headquarters in Osseo, Wisconsin, the Center for Excellence is an innovative facility featuring an automotive refinish training center, as well as a separate space dedicated to technical product training.
GFS is continuously searching for talented, ambitious individuals to join our team. We aim to provide our employees with every opportunity to make an impact on the company and find their niche along the way — weather in a production, field services or an office position.
