Some of my first memories are with my grandpa, my dad and my uncle, either at the track or in the shop, getting the car ready for the weekend.
The roar of an uncorked V8… that was always in the foreground.
You felt it in your chest.
The whole shop rattled.
And somewhere behind it, you’d hear a little southern rock or country crackling on the old stereo.
That was my soundtrack growing up.
My grandpa was a legend back home.
More championships than anybody had ever seen before or since.
My dad’s got a few to his name too.
I figured I had no choice but to try and fill those shoes.
At eight, I won my first championship in a go-kart.
Picked up two more after that.
Once I'd done all I could in the karts I moved up to legends.
Same story there.
By fourteen they let me race with the big boys.
Late in my first season Rookie of the Year was in the bag, and the season championship was still there for the taking.
Then the third-to-last race happened.
I had a big lead. Car felt good.
And then: BAM!
Got hooked by a lapped car.
Intentional as it comes.
One of the older guys sent me spinning, dad said he was jealous that I'd already won more than he had in his whole career.
The wreck meant I had to win the last two races or the whole season was gone.
So I did.
In a borrowed, outdated backup car that didn’t feel right at all.
Still found a way.
Took the checkered in both.
Nearly lapped the field in the finale.
Youngest to win Rookie of the Year, youngest to win the championship and the first rookie to ever do it.
That’s when the nickname stuck.
“Lightning.”
At first I hated it.
Sounded like a joke.
But after a while… I leaned into it.
Even put it on the car.
Dad said a nickname meant you were somebody.
After that, I won two more championships in the next three seasons.
People started saying I’d break my grandpa’s records.
Truth is, I didn’t care about that.
I was looking further down the road.
And now, here I am.
Buckled in for a test that could take me to the next level.
Wheel in my hands, belts tight, motor rumbling.
The team's crew chief is shouting instructions over the noise, I nod.
He slaps the roof of the car and backs away.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
I.
Am.
Speed.
