For a man who’s spent the past 17 years as a Hollywood stuntman, and the last 15 as a racecar driver, Stanton Barrett is a surprisingly mellow dude. In fact, with his floppy blond hair, California good looks, and laid-back demeanor, Barrett, 33, seems more like a dreamboat ski instructor than a man who spends his life risking it. He’s also a pretty big softie. On his downtime, he devotes himself to children’s charities such as Snowfrog, an educational website for kids he created himself, and The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp, his godfather Paul Newman’s getaway for children with serious illnesses. “My passion is kids,” he says simply.

But then, Barrett begins describing his day job. Like the time he was jumping building tops on a motorcycle for the film Cradle 2 The Grave. “The camera attached to my bike broke, and I fell 20 feet down – broke 11 bones in my left foot.” Or the time he gunned the General E. Lee right over a river for the recent Dukes of Hazzard film. “The guy hired to drive the car was sick that day.” Or the time… well, there are about 150 such terrifying -- albeit exhilarating -- stunts, and you realize that it takes an inherently mellow and thoughtful man to be able to properly handle them.

“Yeah, it gets your attention,” is his general opinion of stunt work.

Then, there’s the stock car racing, which, career-wise, is Barrett’s true love. He’s just left New York, where he’s recently bought an apartment on the Bowery, to head down to Daytona 500, where driving 200 mph is the norm, and crashing, a mere occupational hazard. “Everyone crashes,” says Barrett with a shrug. (While there, he’ll also squeeze in the time to shoot a fashion spread for L’Uomo Vogue).

The need for speed runs in the family: Barrett’s father, Stan Barrett, drove for the legendary Skoal Bandit racing team, owned by Burt Reynolds, Hal Needham, and Paul Newman. He also, in December of 1979, drove the first land vehicle through the sound barrier. His top speed clocked in at 739 mph, or Mach 1.01. And Barrett’s mother, Penny McCoy, was an Olympic and U.S. Ski Team member; and, at the age of 15, the youngest woman to win a medal for the U.S. World Cup Ski Team.

However, Barrett’s rugged, slightly offbeat sense of style is something he’s acquired on his own. Like his penchant for Donald Pliner shoes, in particular a pair of red and brown leather saddle shoes. “My brother gave them to me for my birthday,” he says of them. “They’ve become by favorite pair.” Or his Adriano Goldschmied jeans: He discovered the denim brand three years ago at Dungarees, a friend’s clothing shop on Ventura Blvd, and now has an estimated 12 pairs. “I wear them everyday,” he says. “I really like the style and cut.” He has pretty much every style AG has on the market, including their cords and suede jeans. Yet, it’s a pair of generously boot-cut Fillmore jeans that are his favorite. “They were dark, but now they’re all faded. And they’re all messed up and have holes that look like acid dripped on them…I’m not really sure what that’s from.” Probably just the fallout of living the daredevil life.

Be Like Barrett:

AG Fillmore jeans, $145-$197, neimanmarcus.com

Get more info on NASCAR, nascar.com

Check out his educational website for kids, snowfrog.us and his latest venture yippeenet.com

And learn more about The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp at holeinthewallgangcamp.org