Story By: GRIDLIFE – CHICAGO, IL – GRIDLIFE, the dynamic motorsport and music festival series, staged the final event of the 2024 season this weekend at Thunderhill Raceway Park in California.
The weekend marked the close of a record-breaking year for GRIDLIFE, as the motorsport organization set new marks with increased driver participation and a thriving paddock, expanded both the in-person and digital audience, growing its partnership portfolio, as well as continuing to grow its diverse offering of entertainment for the festival-style event gatherings through the year.
Along the way, GRIDLIFE competitors broke track records around the country as 30 different manufacturers found victory lane on the way to crowning eight season champions.
In just over a decade, GRIDLIFE has become one of the fastest-growing, youngest motorsports paddock globally, establishing itself as a leader in immersive, boundary-pushing events that feature a unique combination of motorsports competition, musical festivals and gatherings for automotive enthusiasts.
Staged across the country at some of the most iconic motorsports facilities in North America, the 2024 GRIDLIFE season featured a schedule of CLUB and FESTIVAL event weekends that captivated a predominantly young audience, 73% of which falls between 18-34 years old.
“The 2024 season has been nothing short of monumental for GRIDLIFE,” said GRIDLIFE President and Founder Chris Stewart. “Our goal has always been to push the limits and create a one-of-a-kind environment where motorsport, music and community converge. This season’s record-breaking attendance and engagement are a testament to the passion of our fans, the talent of our drivers and the commitment of our partners who share our vision for the future of motorsport culture.”
GRIDLIFE Paddock Grows
With five unique festivals and nine adrenaline-charged race weekends, GRIDLIFE saw an astounding 2,951 on-track entries throughout the 2024 season, a 30% increase over 2023.
Representative of GRIDLIFE’s growth trend, 2024 saw a 34% increase in driver registration for its popular wheel-to-wheel sprint racing series, GRIDLIFE Touring Cup (GLTC). GLTC fields featured several races that were 60-drivers strong, and averaged an astounding 44 entries through the 40-race season spread across 10 weekends.
The significant increase in GLTC drivers in the paddock required the development of a revised format for some of the rounds, dividing the field into two groups based on qualifying times. This innovative format not only allowed more drivers to participate, but also maintained GRIDLIFE’s reputation for clean, competitive racing, reinforcing the organization’s mission of inclusion and accessibility. Even the season champion set a new record, as Matan Rosenberg became the youngest-ever GRIDLIFE Champion at just 20 years old.
GRIDLIFE’s TrackBattle TimeAttack continues to represent the largest field of competitors in North America, showcasing the largest field ever with 107 skilled drivers fiercely competing on the track at GRIDLIFE’s inaugural Summer Apex Festival, held at Road America last July.
Additionally, a large development in GRIDLIFE’s TrackBattle product in 2024 was the successful introduction of the Podium Sprint. Developed with spectator presentation in mind, this innovative format raises the intensity of competition. All competitors within their TrackBattle class must qualify in the top-five of their class before they race in a final showdown, the Podium Sprint, where each qualifier gets two solo flying laps to record their fastest time in a high-stakes presentation that puts everything on the line.
Introduced in 2024, the GRIDLIFE RUSH SR National Championship opened up thrilling new opportunities for participants and fans. Utilizing the RUSH SR, a lightweight and high-performance sports racer designed by RUSH Auto Works to be a driver’s car from the wheels up, the category featured 160 entries over 20 races, with a 36-car average field size, far exceeding expectations for its inaugural season.
GRIDLIFE also set new benchmarks by being the exclusive organization that brings exhibition drifting to some of the most iconic road courses in the US. With seven rounds and 280 drivers, GRIDLIFE Drift enables talents like James Deane, Vaughn Gitten JR, Chelsea DeNofa, Justin Pawlek, Chris Forsberg, Ryan Tuerck and dozens more the freedom to showcase their talents at full speed to the beat of a motorsports festival to the delight of thousands of fans.
Music Festivals Add to GRIDLIFE Paddock Vibes
GRIDLIFE’s first edition of the Music & Motorsport Festival began in 2014 at the Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI. The event created an atmosphere that transcended the traditional motorsport event structure and attracted a vibrant and engaged fan base of nearly a quarter million people since its inception. Since then, the GRIDLIFE Festival Tour has become a national series ranging from coast-to-coast.
GRIDLIFE’s 2024 season elevated the intersection of motorsports and music culture with a lineup of 60 live music performances. Headlined by iconic artists like multi-Grammy winners T-Pain and Deadmau5, GRIDLIFE also showcased the energy of dance music heavyweights Zeds Dead, Madeon & Liquid Stranger. With a diverse mix of legendary performers and cutting-edge talent, GRIDLIFE once again proved its commitment to creating unforgettable experiences where motorsports and music collide.
Partners and Content
Having provided broadcast-quality multicam streams on YouTube and Twitch with GRIDLIFE Live production, GRIDLIFE continued to find an eager audience and deliver on its mission to bring motorsport culture to new audiences with a high level of accessibility for fans both online and at live events with a production that rivals professional motorsport coverage.
In addition to record participation on the track, GRIDLIFE’s digital community soared, reaching a social media following of 339,000 fans and generating more than 65 million impressions.
Thanks to an impressive lineup of 17 season partners and a fast-expanding presence on social media, GRIDLIFE continues to grow its influence and connect with fans in fresh, authentic ways.
What’s next for 2025?
The memories of 2024 have yet to fade, and GRIDLIFE is eager to kick the 2025 season off as the series continues to grow with the goal of setting new standards in the motorsport and entertainment landscape, continuing its mission to offer young fans an unforgettable, multi-sensory experience that celebrates speed, music, culture and good vibes.
The 2025 schedule will be released in the upcoming weeks.