On the right track: Cole Bruce splitting focus between education, racing at Langley Speedway

Most college students utilize the summer to unwind from a stressful year and regroup for the future.

Such is not the case for Late Model Stock competitor Cole Bruce.

Amidst his pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics: Commercial/Corporate at Liberty University to become a certified flight instructor, Bruce will also balance out a full year of racing at Langley Speedway, which begins its 2024 season Saturday evening.

Education is a top priority for Bruce, but the Fredericksburg, Virginia native is currently focused on having a great night in Langley‘s season-opener so he can set a proper tone for the rest of his year at the facility.

“I feel really confident we‘ll have a top-five car,” Bruce said. “Near the end of last season, we had top-five speed and finished fourth in the final race. Our main objective going into opening night this year is to have good speed and continue the momentum so we can start competing for top threes or even wins.”

Bruce considers himself fortunate that life will not be overly chaotic at the start of Langley‘s season.

Since he is currently taking classes at Liberty exclusively on weekdays, he’s had plenty of time to help his family build up the Late Model Stock program while maintaining a healthy schedule regarding his studies.

That routine gets upheaved for Bruce once May commences.

Bruce’s college schedule is set to include classes on Saturdays from 6-10:30 a.m. during the summer, so he is mentally preparing himself to make regular three-hour drives from Liberty to Langley on race weekends. This will also require Bruce to lean more on his family for setups with his time at the shop and track being reduced.

Although he would prefer to be around his team right when the fight for Langley track championship escalates, Bruce has confidence in his family to prepare fast cars. His father Robert Bruce is a Late Model Stock veteran with a handful of starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series on his resume.

With that experience to count on, Bruce feels more at ease with his racing outlook for 2024 while occupied with his studies. Constant classes at Liberty present their own challenges for Bruce, but he plans to keep excelling by absorbing as much information as possible from his peers and teachers.

“Honestly, I‘m just surrounding myself with good people,” Bruce said. “Right now at school, I‘m with people who have the same major as me. We have study groups, which help a lot. Currently, I‘m a 4.0 student [at Liberty], so being ahead of the ball game helps a lot.”

The proactive mindset Bruce has adopted for college is also being utilized with his team, particularly when it comes to searching for sponsorship.

As soon as his classes at Liberty end for the day, Bruce immediately starts sending emails and making phone calls to companies based around his school, Langley and his hometown. Amassing more funding would allow Bruce and his family to afford crew members to work on the cars while he is away at college.

With every correspondence and pitch, Bruce reiterates his passion for racing and his determination toward becoming successful. He does not plan to deviate from that mindset even after he gets his degree and becomes a CFI.

Flying has been Bruce‘s other primary interest since his neighbor Joe Lavely, a pilot, convinced him to apply his racing skills in a cockpit. Bruce never wanted to settle for a typical desk job and quickly fell in love with aviation after his first Discovery Flight, prompting him to pursue his aeronautical science degree.

Aside from being in the air, one aspect Bruce enjoys about the aviation industry is the flexibility. When he does become a CFI, Bruce will be able to pick and choose his own hours, allowing him to keep racing full-time in Late Model Stocks with almost no conflicts.

Despite this, Bruce does not anticipate many slow days between racing and flying, but that does not bother him in the slightest. Being used to hectic schedules has helped Bruce grow comfortable with shouldering multiple responsibilities in an efficient manner.

“Ever since I was little, I was always running around from school, to playing sports and coming home to do homework,” Bruce said. “I feel like if I‘m not busy, even on weekends where I don‘t have anything planned, I have to do something to keep myself busy.”

WATCH: Langley’s 2024 season on FloRacing

With how inundated he is between school and racing, combined with the limited funding at his disposal, Bruce is keeping his racing plans confined to Langley for 2024.

There are plenty of milestones Bruce is seeking to obtain against the Langley regulars, especially the track‘s crown jewel event in the Hampton Heat. Bruce has been happy with the speed shown in his first two Hampton Heat appearances but did not record finishes that reflected the strength of his cars.

Already comfortable with Langley‘s tight layout, Bruce feels ascertaining key fundamentals in endurance events like the Hampton Heat can serve as a crucial step toward becoming a championship contender at the track.

“I want to learn tire management and throttle control,” he said. “Hopefully we can bring a lot of momentum into the Hampton Heat this year. Luck hasn‘t been on our side the last couple of years. This year I‘m hoping we can be more towards the front pack so we can understand how much to push and be there at the end for a really good finish.”

Even though his studies are about to become more paramount in his already busy life, Bruce has never felt more confident in his ability to succeed behind the wheel.

During Liberty‘s Spring Break, Bruce worked closely with TORP Chassis owner Craig Oliver by hanging a body on his Late Model Stock and taking in a copious amount of information. Bruce considers Oliver‘s tutelage invaluable, and he’s eager to show off what he learned when Langley‘s first green flag waves Saturday.

Bruce is grateful to be in an environment where he can thrive as both a racer and student despite having to make some sacrifices. Nothing is going to come easy for Bruce over the following months, but he believes prosperity will find him in both avenues with principled values and a rigid support system on his side.

“If you‘re truly passionate about racing and the career you‘re in, you‘ll find a way,” Bruce said. “Luckily, I‘ve had people who have supported my racing since day one and they know how much I put into the sport. I can‘t give it my all in racing right now, so I have to rely on them a bit, but don‘t give up and don‘t underestimate yourself.”

Determination has guided Bruce in his quest to obtain two successful career paths. The upcoming challenges in the summer are not fazing Bruce, who is ready to take flight and reach his maximum potential on and off the track.