Kate Interviews Fur-Suit Enthusiast Who Got On The Track At A NASCAR Event This Weekend

All eyes were on NASCAR’s Bristol night race this weekend, but at another local track in Kenly, NC, a Fursuiter named Wyatt was also getting some shine. When the tweet above popped up on my feed I couldn’t help but look into it because just last week I’d already gone down another fursuit rabbit hole for ZeroBlog30 thanks to this colorful patriot:

But back to Wyatt, when he showed up as a full fledged cattle dog at Southern National Motorsports Park it was only with the intention to be out & about & enjoy the race from the stands. I had questions, & thankfully Wyatt was kind enough to answer them for me.

Kate: How did all this come about? Did you just make your way down to the track or did officials invite you?

Wyatt: It was a full NASCAR event (pedal cars are just done beforehand for the kids) and I was promptly escorted down (to the track) as I came in the gate, actually.

Kate: How long have you been fursuiting, & how did you discover it & get into it?

Wyatt: Fursuiting myself? Only about 2 months. I received my suit about 2 months ago but have worn friends’ suits multiple times beforehand so it’s not a new concept to me.

I discovered the “furry” fandom and fursuiting through fanart for a game called Five Nights At Freddy’s. I followed the artist that I liked and they happened to be a part of this fandom.

Kate: Was this your first time going out in public as ‘Wyatt’? What was your motivation to do that & were you nervous at all?

Wyatt: It was definitely not the first time I’ve fursuited. I actually love fursuiting in public. I’ve been to Petsmart, various downtown areas, and even Lowe’s. I love the reactions and the joy it brings others. Plus, it’s just fun.

I was a little nervous as it’s the first time I’ve done that there. As soon as I walked up to the booth though, I got nothing but smiles.

Kate: How hot were you in that thing???

Wyatt: It wasn’t that bad that evening! There was a nice breeze and afterwards I took off most of it and relaxed with a cold drink (not beer lol). Though, heat can be a problem. I wear full protective Under Armor to wick away sweat.

Kate: Did you design the suit yourself & what was your inspiration? Like did you know what animal you wanted right off the bat?

Wyatt: I did not! Wyatt was actually owned by someone else. She and another suit maker designed and built it. The head’s base is also by another maker. So definitely a collaboration. His ref sheet I believe is by an artist called Havik PanDog.

Kate: I’m on a military related podcast & we recently covered a soldier who showed up to their retirement as their furry-self. This sent me down a rabbit hole & I discovered there’s a whole furry world in the military & veteran space. Do you have your own group where you live (not military but just in general)? Are there Fursuit meetups/community in your area?

Wyatt: Oh yes. I’m more rural and there’s really only a small group locally starting to meet. But overall, very much. I generally go out of state for conventions, though.

Kate: It seems like the reaction to your presence at the NASCAR event was overwhelmingly positive, but there’s always a few haters out there. What would you say to someone who calls what you do weird or pokes fun at it?

Wyatt: They’re allowed to have their opinions, really. It’s a hobby. As long as it doesn’t hurt someone there isn’t a problem with it! It’s very unique and I think that may even scare some folks. And that’s ok. I have a loving family who supports me, many friends I’ve made through this, and lots of smiles. That means the world to me.

Kate: What’s up next for you?

Wyatt: Nothing planned. Though I do hope to bring him (Wyatt/fursuit) with me on my family vacation.

Thanks again to Wyatt for taking the time to quell my curiosity. They were a damn delight TBH. Several things I took from this deep dive:

1) If you’re very into a certain sport & want better access to the court/field/track, give fursuiting a try. Wyatt didn’t even have to ask, they just escorted him right down there. This could especially come in handy if you’re generally banned from NFL stadiums (cc: Dave, PFT).

2) Sports apparel companies are missing out if they’re not catering to the mascot world as cosplay/fursuiting grows in popularity. It’s toasty in all that fuzz & I’d imagine breathable undergarments are key. Apps like Howlr have 43,000 registered furries in 127 countries & they’ve all got crevices that sweat.

3) If I got in on the furry game I’d be a stone-cold smokeshow snow-fox named McGonnogle.. and the ease with which that came to me so naturally makes me think maybe I’ve been missing out on my true self this whole time. My Venmo is now open for fursuit funds.

Overall, gotta admit, though I’m not in the hater category & am very much from the school of ‘you do you’, I see the furry stuff & give a little skeptical side eye at first. But I also kind of love it. In the monotony of life, if you go to the grocery store & see a large neon-pink wolf-lady shopping for tomatoes, it probably adds a little spice to your day. If you’re happy & you’re not bugging anyone else, go for it.

And for all the sports hardoooos that want to poke fun at it, please note that your own #FootballGuys are known to dress up, too, and are probably much hairier than any actual furry.