Hebru Brantley is proof that watching cartoons can be the best way to spend your childhood.
Chicagoland Speedway announced Tuesday that its signature event in 2016, the race that kicks off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on Sept. 18, will be the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400.
It’s a mouthful of a title, yes, but also the perfect opportunity for Brantley, a South Side native and world-renowned artist. The 35-year-old was tapped to design the trophy and several cars for the race, including Danica Patrick’s April O’Neil car, which was unveiled in Wrigley Square in Millennium Park on Tuesday.
RedEye caught up with Brantley to get his insights on the design, why the cartoon means so much to him and why he identifies most with Raphael.
How would you describe your artistic vision for the race?
It’s pretty simple. What was asked of me was to do what I do best and interpret these characters in my own way. I’ve always been a fan of the series anyway, so it was real easy, the easiest job I’ve ever had. [Laughs.]
What was it like for you growing up and watching “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”?
Super obsessive. It was life, you know what I mean? It’s still life to a greater degree. I still watch the show as a grown-up, way beyond when I should be watching the show. It shaped a lot of what I do now. What the show was for me was sort of that step, or that sort of entrance into this creative language that I speak now with my work and being very narrative and allowing for a lot of my work to be heavy character-based, very fantastical and have that sort of fantasy element with it. A lot of my childhood was based around “Ninja Turtles,” man, and it was serious.
More Top Picks Ladder Tossssssss
Were there other cartoons that influenced you?
There were, but it was never this strong. [“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”] was my go-to as a kid sketching. What do you sketch first when you’re trying to figure it out, and it was always a Turtle.
How big a fan of racing are you?
I’m actually becoming a fan. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan early on, but now that I’m involved in this project, it’s definitely had me doing my due diligence about racing and NASCAR and it’s awesome, it’s a great sport. I’m really excited on both fronts where it’s like the melding of these two worlds and I can sort of be at the epicenter of that, so it’s really cool.
What kind of car do you like to drive?
I’m not really a car guy. As long as it has four wheels and it gets me there and I have enough legroom, I’m all about it. I’m a truck guy definitely. I’m a big guy [6-foot-8], and I can fit a lot of art in it. [Laughs.]
Who’s your favorite Ninja Turtle?
Raphael. I think his personality mirrors mine in a lot of ways. He’s a little moody, a little to himself sometimes. Sometimes you’ve gotta be a scrapper, the big guy doing his thing. He just to me is always a standout, and red’s my favorite color, too. [Editor’s note: Raphael is the Ninja Turtle who wears the red mask.]