Joey Brienza stood on the top of the USF Juniors podium and finished fourth on May 18 at the 2023 Colorado state track meet. (Credit: (left) Gavin Baker Photography/USF Pro Championships)

On April 28, Joey Brienza and his Exclusive Autosport teammates defied the limits of their racing prowess, transitioning from the thunderous roar of engines to the pulse of their own pounding feet at Barber Motorsports Park.

Brienza joined his three teammates: Erick Schotten, Giovanni Cabrera and Jack Jeffers, for a 5K race around the Alabama circuit they were racing open-wheel cars on that afternoon.

Brienza, an experienced runner, joked that he was not sure afterward if his teammates would be friends with him for much longer after completing the race.

“They were all just coming across the line completely dead,” Brienza said. “They were like ‘Why did you make us do this?’”

Running is a part of Joey Brienza’s life that has complimented his racing and has become a part of his fitness and preparation for racing. In just one year, Brienza went from just starting competitively running to being a part of one of the top relay teams in Colorado.

He started running for fun and posting his results on Strava, an app that tracks running workouts. Earlier this year, he set his sights on finishing in the top 10 in the state tournament in the mile before a stress fracture in his foot had him sit out for a few weeks. Brienza eventually ended up changing his event.

His coach at Holy Family High School in Broomfield, Colorado, just outside of Denver, approached Brienza during recovery to talk about transitioning into an 800-meter specialist.

“I was like, ‘Alright, cool, whatever gives the team the best chance to score,’” Brienza said. “I’m not running for myself, I’m running for the team.”

On May 18, Brienza and his teammates finished fourth place at the state tournament, improving on having the ninth fastest qualifying time. The fourth place finish secured them a spot in the upcoming Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon. The competition is at Hayward Field, the host stadium of the United States Olympic trials.

However, before he heads to Oregon, he has to fly across the country to Indiana to compete in the USF2000 race at Lucas Oil Raceway. This weekend’s race is the second of three race weekends Brienza will compete in for USF2000 as part of a part-time schedule. He previously competed at St. Petersburg and will also compete in July in Toronto.

Brienza, used to running on ovals on foot, is adapting and preparing for driving on an oval this weekend, a race he describes as a unique challenge.

“It’s different,” Brienza said. “I’ve had really good tests at the oval and iIve had some tough tests.”

The key, Brienza said, to have a good result on the oval is being able to qualify well.

With Lucas Oil just minutes away from the Exclusive Autosport shop, Brienza has had time to be able to fine-tune his one-lap pace but is weary of overtaking opportunities during the race.

Brienza believes that while it is possible to move forward, qualifying will determine what position you’ll be in for most of the race.

While many drivers in the USF2000 series are on the east coast, Brienza has to fly out of Denver International Airport, a 30-minute drive from his house, to every location he races or tests at. To shorten the proximity to most courses on the USF2000 schedule, he will attend the University of Indiana this Fall.

“It just makes travel easier,” Brienza said. “Bloomington’s an hour from the (Exclusive Autosport) shop if I need anything. It can be inconvenient, but I view it as a good inconvenience to have.”

Brienza has been a part of Exclusive Autosport for three years. He spent the past two racing in the F1600 series in Formula Race Promotions, where he secured three wins and 14 podiums.

He has stuck with the team for USF Juniors, where he currently sits second in the standings with a win and three podiums. On top of his three-race USF2000 schedule this year, he plans to run full-time in the series in 2024.

The quick timeline jumping up the series is something that he credits to the help he received from team owner Michael Duncalfe.

“(Michael) and his wife Kim are phenomenal people,” Brienza said. “They run a truly professional racing program. I have nothing but respect for them and everything they do and accomplish.”

On USF Juniors race weekends, you often see Brienza at the front of the field as he has not finished lower than sixth all season. However, whenever the cars leave the track, you’ll always see him running somewhere near the premises.

Joey Brienza will be in action next during the Freedom 75 at Lucas Oil Raceway this Friday, May 26.