Full Speed with Dad

Father’s Day at Full Speed 

Some things hit differently when you see them through someone else's eyes. That's the quiet magic that unfolded at Road America this Father's Day, when XPEL welcomed Brian Jannusch – Wisconsin-raised JDM importer and automotive influencer – and his father to this year’s XPEL Grand Prix INDYCAR race at Road America. For Brian, it was a weekend at one of America's greatest race tracks. For his dad, it was something far bigger: a first. 

A Father's Day Worth Remembering 

Brian Jannusch has spent years immersed in car culture. From importing Japanese domestic market vehicles to building a loyal following online, cars aren't just a hobby – they’re a way of life. But watching his dad step onto the grounds of Road America for the very first time? That was something new entirely. 

"He's always known I love cars, but he'd never really seen what this world looks like up close," Brian said. "Bringing him here on Father's Day, watching his face when he heard the engines – that was the whole trip for me." 

His father, Patrick Galewarts, didn't need long to find his footing. Within minutes of arriving, the noise, the smell of racing fuel, the crowd buzzing with anticipation – it all clicked. 

"I didn't know what to expect," Patrick admitted. "But the moment I saw the camaraderie amongst the teams – and the fans – and those cars came around the first corner, I understood. I get it now. I completely get it." 

Seeing Racing for the First Time 

There's a particular kind of joy that belongs only to first-timers. Unfiltered. Unguarded. You can't fake it, and you can't manufacture it. Brian's father had it in spades. 

The people. The cars. The kids and laughter. The tailgating. And the speed… oh the speed. The father who had watched his son talk about cars for decades was, for the first time, living inside the world his son had always described – and loving every second of it. 

That's what the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America does. It doesn't just put on a race. It creates moments that stick. 

Road America: A Track Unlike Any Other 

Nestled in the rolling hills of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, roughly an hour north of Milwaukee, Road America isn’t just another race venue. It's a 4.048-mile natural road course that has hosted world-class motorsport since 1955. The facility is massive – fans can walk the grounds freely, exploring corner by corner, claiming a patch of grass wherever the view suits them best. 

Campers line the perimeter. Tailgates stretch as far as you can see. Chainsaw sculptures dot the grounds like quirky landmarks you didn't know you needed. Road America has a texture that modern racing facilities often lack – it feels lived-in, beloved, and entirely its own. 

The IndyCar racing itself delivered. A late caution near the finish kept the crowd on edge, the kind of race-ending tension that reminds you why motorsport has a stranglehold on its fans. For a first-timer watching it all unfold, it was the perfect introduction. 

When Racing Brings People Together 

XPEL has been a fixture at Road America for years, and the XPEL Grand Prix has grown into one of the marquee events on the IndyCar calendar. Hosting Brian and his father on Father's Day wasn't just a hospitality moment – it was a reminder of what the best motorsport experiences are built on: access, atmosphere, and the chance to share something real with someone you love. 

The cars are fast. The racing is fierce. But the stories that outlast any single race are the ones about the people watching it. 

Brian Jannusch will remember plenty from this Father's Day – the IndyCar engines echoing through the Wisconsin hills, the late drama on track, the sprawling beauty of Road America in summer. But most of all, he'll remember the look on his dad's face when it all made sense for the first time. 

"Road America has always been special to me — it's in my blood, it's home," Brian said. "But getting to share it with my dad, on Father's Day, at a track right here in Wisconsin? That's something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. You can't plan a moment like that. It just happens, and you're grateful you were there for it." 

That's the thing about racing. Done right, it doesn't just win over fans. It connects generations.