Star DJ wants to run Las Vegas F1 race in a Subaru: ‘I could win’
We’ve got Dillon Francis on the line. He’s a professional DJ, amateur motorist.
At the top, I ask, “What do you drive? What is your vehicle of choice?”
The question is what does Francis drive as his daily car. But he takes it as, “What car would you drive in a Formula One race?”
“I would drive a Subaru Impreza rally car,” Francis says, no hesitation. “Because it would be the only Subaru Impreza in the race. People would be like, ‘What the hell is going on? Why is there a rally car here?’”
“You know, if you didn’t have to pit, you’d probably win,” I say, the concept galvanizing.
“I could win in that,” Francis says. “Now I want to perform inside a Subaru.”
“You’re talking your way into an endorsement deal,” I say.
“I hope so,” he says. “I would be the face of Subaru.”
Francis is to appear at the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix at 6:30 p.m. Friday, as a DJ. He headlines the East Harmon Zone by Virgin Hotels.
For the man who mans the DJ booth, the power of exotic race cars is a new experience.
“I have not experienced F1 in my entire life. I am really excited, because a lot of my friends, when ‘Drive to Survive’ came out, they all got really into it,” Francis says, referring to the F1-Netflix docudrama series. “I wish I had gotten into the show, because I never knew what goes into being a driver and how important the team is that’s behind you. I’m learning that from my friends.”
The 38-year-old performer out of Los Angeles mixes electronic music and (especially on this occasion) his sense of humor. He has headlined under the handle DJ Hanzel, and about a decade ago announced a pilot of an MTV sketch show that never came to fruition. His “Get Low” track with DJ Snake went platinum.
For more than a decade, Francis has also worked with Diplo, Kygo and G-Eazy. He worked with Panic! At the Disco, the band out of Las Vegas, co-producing “Hey Look Ma, I Made It” on the album “Pray for the Wicked.” He featured Brendon Urie on his 2014 song “Love in the Middle of a Firefight” from the album “Money Sucks, Friends Rule.”
Suffice to say Francis is a man of parts, but not car parts, in his F1 premiere.
“My friends told me that the feeling of the cars racing by you is like the coolest, craziest feeling ever,” Francis says. “It feels like a sub boom, but it’s a car going, you know, 300 miles per hour. Is that how fast they go?”
“Top speed is 220-ish,” I say.
“What? OK, then, I don’t want to go anymore,” Francis says. “If they’re not breaking 300 …”
“The Subaru, though …” I say.
“The Subaru would go 300!” the DJ says. “That’s why I’m driving it.”
VIP action for NCF
Returning Friday through Sunday at Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and Fremont Street Experience, the Neon City Festival is free and open to all ages. But there is a paid VIP component, as this is Las Vegas. The event is offering VIP floor access tickets for $75 per day. An “elevated” VIP experience, from a platform with an unobstructed view of the stage AND a premium bar, is $100 per day.
Headliners include Good Charlotte, Deadmau5, Breaking Benjamin, Two Friends, Fitz and the Tantrums, Bowling for Soup and De La Soul. A fleet of food trucks and culinary outposts, art installations, interactive exhibits and a requisite downtown fireworks show are in the mix. Go to dlvec.com for intel.
Cool Hang Alert
Bob Marley Hope Road is running its full schedule through F1 weekend. A passionate tribute to Marley that needs foot traffic (in the form of ticket-buyers) to make it over the long term. Hourly tours of the multivenue attraction start at 5 p.m. Go to hoperoad.com for intel.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
