GRIDLIFE Names Patrick Daugherty Vice President of Partnerships
CHICAGO, IL – June 8, 2026 – GRIDLIFE, the organization widely recognized for pioneering the motorsports festival category, today announced that Patrick Daugherty has joined the company as Vice President of Partnerships.
In this role, Daugherty will oversee GRIDLIFE’s partnership strategy and sponsorship development efforts across live events, racing properties, digital media, branded content, hospitality, experiential activations and emerging commercial platforms.
Prior to joining GRIDLIFE, Daugherty spent 10 years at Valvoline, where he built and managed motorsports partnerships and one of the industry's most successful influencer portfolios. During his tenure, he managed partnerships with organizations including Hendrick Motorsports and the Aston Martin Formula One Team, placing Valvoline at the center of some of motorsport’s most visible series. He also helped architect and grow a roster of automotive influencers, strengthening Valvoline’s presence across digital media, branded content and creator-driven platforms in a way that resonated authentically with car enthusiasts worldwide.
As an active time attack competitor, Daugherty brings firsthand knowledge of the preparation, culture and passion that define the GRIDLIFE community.
“Patrick understands this community because he lives it,” said Michael Hurczyn, CEO of GRIDLIFE. “His experience building world-class partnerships across motorsports, influencer marketing and digital media makes him uniquely positioned to help lead GRIDLIFE’s next phase of commercial growth.”
“GRIDLIFE is one of the most unique platforms in all of motorsport,” Daugherty said. “Drifting, wheel-to-wheel racing, time attack, esports, digital media and car culture are all woven together in a way that no other organization has managed to pull off. I’ve spent my career working on partnerships that connect brands to moments that matter to enthusiasts, and GRIDLIFE is exactly that kind of stage. I’m excited to bring my experience from Formula One to influencer marketing and experiential activations to help grow GRIDLIFE’s commercial platform to the next level.”
Daugherty joins CEO Michael Hurczyn and the GRIDLIFE leadership team as the organization continues to expand its national event footprint, media platforms and partnership portfolio.
For more information about GRIDLIFE and upcoming events, please visit www.grid.life.
About GRIDLIFE:
Since 2014, GRIDLIFE has redefined the intersection of grassroots motorsports and festival culture. By blending competitive racing, high-speed drifting and live music into immersive national events, GRIDLIFE breaks down barriers and builds community for both hardcore enthusiasts and the car-curious. Now operating as part of the F=ma network alongside RACER Media and The ID Agency, GRIDLIFE continues to power the next generation of automotive experiences on and off the track. For more information and full season schedules, visit grid.life.