When a wreck happens on the Charlotte Motor Speedway, there is no 9-1-1 call. No dispatch delay. Just the sights and sounds of race cars crashing.

That is all Drew Tenhundfeld and his team need to launch into action.

“We see the wreck happen in real time,” he said. “Within seconds, we’re rolling. You don’t have time to think—you just go.”

For a high-pressure environment, Tenhundfeld’s role is surprisingly simple: get on site fast, keep the driver safe, and make sure the rest of the crew has what they need to do their jobs.

When the yellow caution flag comes out, Tenhundfeld gets his team on the track—sometimes while competitors are still circling at high speeds. As the driver, his job is to provide “the block,” positioning his truck to shield the scene and keep everyone else out of harm’s way.

“It’s not that different from a highway crash,” he said. “You’ve got traffic flying by, and your job is to protect the people working the scene.”

From the Firehouse to the Finish Line

Tenhundfeld’s journey to his role as a NASCAR firefighter is a surprisingly straight shot for such a niche role. He started his career in local departments where he worked full-time as a firefighter and part time as a fire equipment salesperson. In 2008, an acquaintance mentioned to him that they were looking for help during a NASCAR event. Tenhundfeld signed up, and with his auto extrication experience he was placed on the tool truck for the event. That initial race went so well that soon he was traveling to events around the country.

How did this freelance gig turn into a steady position? Tenhundfeld credits networking and competency in his role. “I got to know some NASCAR officials. One of them took over track services at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2009 and asked me to come down and work for him,” he said. “From there, I got to know people from different tracks and was invited to work at other tracks.”

In his years as a NASCAR firefighter, Tenhundfeld has been behind the scenes at tracks across the country: Indianapolis Raceway Park, Kentucky Speedway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway. At his home in Cincinnati, he teaches a fire program as his main job, but when race weekend comes to Charlotte, you will find him geared up and ready out on the asphalt.

HAIX® Black Eagle® Safety 42.1 Supportive Safety Boots

As Tenhundfeld will tell you, working at the track isn’t easy on your gear. Running on slick pavement, working on steep banking, and dealing with engine fires are challenges for you as well as your boots.

That is why Tenhundfeld swears by his HAIX® boots.

The first pair of HAIX boots he wore was the Black Eagle Safety 55. “It had a 6-inch height and gave me the best ankle support I’ve ever had,” he said.

For most people, that is a nice bonus. For Tenhundfeld, it is essential.

“I was born with clubfeet and have had six major operations on my legs and ankles,” he said. “That’s why ankle support is such a critical issue for me. The HAIX boots provide the support I need—not just for comfort, but for medical reasons. They’ve been a game-changer for me.”

Recently he has picked up a pair of Black Eagle Safety 42.1 low boots, which he wears every day, even when he’s not working. On the farm. In the field. Feeding horses. Walking fence lines.

“They’re that comfortable,” he says. “I won’t buy anything else.”

Tenhundfeld’s Most Memorable Rescue

One moment that stands out in Tenhundfeld’s career came during a 2016 wreck involving three cars—one of them NASCAR star Austin Dillon. With multiple vehicles needing attention, the safety team had to divide and act quickly.

“We had to split our crew up because of the multiple cars involved,” Tenhundfeld recalled. “I went to one car, and my partner—the other firefighter—went to another.”

Despite the chaos, the response was smooth and instinctive.

“I didn’t even have to communicate much with my partner—we just knew our jobs and how each other works. Within NASCAR’s goal of three laps, we had everything cleared.”

It was, by every measure, a success. And for Tenhundfeld, it is moments like these that reflect what makes his team special.

“I work with a great bunch of guys down at Charlotte,” he said. “I don’t just go down for the day—I go for the family atmosphere and the camaraderie I have with the safety team.”

Whether it is a three-car pileup involving NASCAR veterans or a routine race-day cleanup, Drew Tenhundfeld approaches every call with the same level of focus and urgency. His team moves fast, works hard, and operates with near wordless precision.

And like the HAIX boots on his feet, he shows up ready—every time.