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Topic: How young is to young?
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March 09, 2011 at
10:13:55 PM
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So, I just got done reading an article in Flat Out about a 14 year old making the A-main at an Outlaws show. My questions are, at what point are the adults going to begin acting like parents and keeping children at a childs level of racing? Are we really going to have to deal with a child getting really hurt or killed in a car before we begin to realize that this trend is really a bad thing?
I think that it is both selfish and egotistical for parents to put a child in this position. I don't really care how much experience that they have. I will sum up my concern as follows:
1. Egotistical: My child can do anything that an older driver can, and he has 8 years of experience before he climbed into this car. My child has a grip on the dangers and can handle the stress. My child is THE BEST EVER!!!!!!
2. Selfish: I can care less about the older driver that was just in the accident with my child in which my child was seriously hurt or killed. He is not my concern because MY child can handle anything! Now that older driver has to live with the fact that he was involved in a crash that maimed or killed a child, not a position that I would ever want to be in.
This trend is a scary thing. Will there come a day when a parent insists that his or her child can race a 410 at the age of 10???? Where does it stop???? I am ashamed at my generation and thier willingness to endanger thier children. There is not a chance in hell that my father would have ever considered this in my youth. I guess at this point I am just ranting. Responses to these questions are requested, because I just don't get it!
Jim Clark
Never hit stationary objects!
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March 09, 2011 at
10:39:30 PM
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Was it a World Of Outlaw Sprint or Late Model? I don't recall a 14 year old in a WoO Sprint A-main this year.
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March 09, 2011 at
10:44:56 PM
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This message was edited on
March 09, 2011 at
10:45:28 PM by jholz2002
What about Jeff Gordon and Donny Schatz? Those are two that come to mind right off the top of my head and I'm sure there are many more that started young. That trend has been going on for a long long time.
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March 09, 2011 at
10:56:21 PM
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This message was edited on
March 09, 2011 at
10:59:02 PM by meatbag
Where do you draw the line in letting "ADULTS" go out there and injuring and killing themselves and/or other drivers? Sorry guy, but I know a lot of 11-14 year olds that can handle themselves alot better than some of these schmucks that had some extra money and decided to buy a race car WHEN THEY'RE 30 YEARS OLD!
Yes, there are some parents out there pushing the issue too much, but there are a lot of youngsters that strive to be the best and only want to keep moving up and proving themselves!
I would guess the veterans would rather race with an experienced 13 year old than their 43 year old neighbor Gary, who is a trash man and has been wanting to drive something for 20 some years!
do it in the dirt
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March 09, 2011 at
10:57:22 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: SLINK51 on March 09 2011 at 10:39:30 PM
Was it a World Of Outlaw Sprint or Late Model? I don't recall a 14 year old in a WoO Sprint A-main this year.
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Yes, it was a Sprint Car. He made the A in 2010. He is from Puyallup Washington.
Never hit stationary objects!
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March 09, 2011 at
11:03:22 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: meatbag on March 09 2011 at 10:56:21 PM
Where do you draw the line in letting "ADULTS" go out there and injuring and killing themselves and/or other drivers? Sorry guy, but I know a lot of 11-14 year olds that can handle themselves alot better than some of these schmucks that had some extra money and decided to buy a race car WHEN THEY'RE 30 YEARS OLD!
Yes, there are some parents out there pushing the issue too much, but there are a lot of youngsters that strive to be the best and only want to keep moving up and proving themselves!
I would guess the veterans would rather race with an experienced 13 year old than their 43 year old neighbor Gary, who is a trash man and has been wanting to drive something for 20 some years!
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You are absolutely correct, there are alot of Adults that do not belong behind the wheel either, but they are adults. Most children are not mentally prepared to accept that they could die doing this. Most adults are not either, but at they at least get it.
Never hit stationary objects!
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March 09, 2011 at
11:08:31 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: jholz2002 on March 09 2011 at 10:44:56 PM
What about Jeff Gordon and Donny Schatz? Those are two that come to mind right off the top of my head and I'm sure there are many more that started young. That trend has been going on for a long long time.
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If I recall correctly, Jeff has said that it scared the crap out of him and that NO child should be placed in that postion. At least I think it was Gordon. As for Donny Schatz, I was not aware that he had started that young. But I would have said the same thing for him as well, regardless of the driver that he has become. I just feel that if 16 is the age for a drivers liscense, it should be the minimum age for driving full blown race cars. Circle Track is in the middle of printing articles about this topic, so it must be becoming a larger issue than it has been in the past.
Never hit stationary objects!
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March 09, 2011 at
11:10:49 PM
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This message was edited on
March 09, 2011 at
11:18:11 PM by sprintracing59
Welcome to Non wing racing In Indiana were 13-18 is the Norm
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March 09, 2011 at
11:13:41 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Sprinter 79 on March 09 2011 at 11:03:22 PM
You are absolutely correct, there are alot of Adults that do not belong behind the wheel either, but they are adults. Most children are not mentally prepared to accept that they could die doing this. Most adults are not either, but at they at least get it.
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I believe your talking about Trey Starks, third generation driver. Trey was voted rookie of the year by the National ASCS a month or so ago. He`s been involved in racing for years. It really depends on the individual when it comes to the age thing. Some are ready, some are not....
Many folks will remember Trey`s dad, John. He`s won midget races all over the west coast. He`s also had many good runs at the Chili Bowl.
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March 09, 2011 at
11:40:13 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Sprinter 79 on March 09 2011 at 11:08:31 PM
If I recall correctly, Jeff has said that it scared the crap out of him and that NO child should be placed in that postion. At least I think it was Gordon. As for Donny Schatz, I was not aware that he had started that young. But I would have said the same thing for him as well, regardless of the driver that he has become. I just feel that if 16 is the age for a drivers liscense, it should be the minimum age for driving full blown race cars. Circle Track is in the middle of printing articles about this topic, so it must be becoming a larger issue than it has been in the past.
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Donny was 14 when he was racing a 410 almost every week at Husets. He was 19 when he started his rookie season with the World of Outlaws in 1997. Sometimes getting the crap scared out of you is a good thing  . I do not disagree with your point, but let me say I was driving a tractor way before I had a drivers license. If you have ever been around farm equipment, can you honestly say that working with farm equipment at the age of 12 is less dangerous? The way I see it is when the big guy in the sky says it's your time to go, it is your time to go whether you are going 140 mph down the back stretch at Knoxville or walking down the sidewalk to the local gas station to buy a soda. The biggest issue is the parents and knowing if their kid is ready to take the next step. Children mature at different ages and some never do. haha.
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March 09, 2011 at
11:45:11 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: jholz2002 on March 09 2011 at 11:40:13 PM
Donny was 14 when he was racing a 410 almost every week at Husets. He was 19 when he started his rookie season with the World of Outlaws in 1997. Sometimes getting the crap scared out of you is a good thing . I do not disagree with your point, but let me say I was driving a tractor way before I had a drivers license. If you have ever been around farm equipment, can you honestly say that working with farm equipment at the age of 12 is less dangerous? The way I see it is when the big guy in the sky says it's your time to go, it is your time to go whether you are going 140 mph down the back stretch at Knoxville or walking down the sidewalk to the local gas station to buy a soda. The biggest issue is the parents and knowing if their kid is ready to take the next step. Children mature at different ages and some never do. haha.
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Your probably right. I could have never put my kid in a sprinter that young regardless of whether or not others felt that he or she could do it. It just seems to me that children are being used to gratify something in thier folks. Kids should be kids, and that usually does not revolve around such extremely high risk activities. Not at 14 anyway. We were all pretty dumb not shortly after that! LOL
Never hit stationary objects!
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March 10, 2011 at
12:00:17 AM
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I am sure it is Trey Starks... if you saw him race... you wouldn't care or realize,
whatever his age is.... the kid can race!
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March 10, 2011 at
12:53:24 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Sprinter 79 on March 09 2011 at 11:45:11 PM
Your probably right. I could have never put my kid in a sprinter that young regardless of whether or not others felt that he or she could do it. It just seems to me that children are being used to gratify something in thier folks. Kids should be kids, and that usually does not revolve around such extremely high risk activities. Not at 14 anyway. We were all pretty dumb not shortly after that! LOL
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Not always the case believe it or not some kids just flat out love racing. Not always because the parent says here you are going to do this. I had the pleasure of meeting Trevor Bayne and his parents about 5 yrs. ago at a Tennessee kart track doing a meet and greet with his full size stock car.
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March 10, 2011 at
03:27:58 AM
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We had a 16yr old wanting to drive midgets here in australia ,the governing body declared him to be to young .His parents sold up and moved to the states were it was legal for him to drive,this year he recorded the fastest lap at the chili bowl.16yr Brad cox.Im not saying its right for them to drive so young but i would set 16 as the minimum age.
I SUPPORT JASON SIDES FROM DOWN UNDER
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March 10, 2011 at
06:32:55 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Sprinter 79 on March 09 2011 at 10:13:55 PM
So, I just got done reading an article in Flat Out about a 14 year old making the A-main at an Outlaws show. My questions are, at what point are the adults going to begin acting like parents and keeping children at a childs level of racing? Are we really going to have to deal with a child getting really hurt or killed in a car before we begin to realize that this trend is really a bad thing?
I think that it is both selfish and egotistical for parents to put a child in this position. I don't really care how much experience that they have. I will sum up my concern as follows:
1. Egotistical: My child can do anything that an older driver can, and he has 8 years of experience before he climbed into this car. My child has a grip on the dangers and can handle the stress. My child is THE BEST EVER!!!!!!
2. Selfish: I can care less about the older driver that was just in the accident with my child in which my child was seriously hurt or killed. He is not my concern because MY child can handle anything! Now that older driver has to live with the fact that he was involved in a crash that maimed or killed a child, not a position that I would ever want to be in.
This trend is a scary thing. Will there come a day when a parent insists that his or her child can race a 410 at the age of 10???? Where does it stop???? I am ashamed at my generation and thier willingness to endanger thier children. There is not a chance in hell that my father would have ever considered this in my youth. I guess at this point I am just ranting. Responses to these questions are requested, because I just don't get it!
Jim Clark
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The last sentence of your first paragraph sums it up nicely. When someone puts their kid in a sprint car or midget and gets them killed then people will re-think it, but only for awhile. The problem is arrogance and the general attitude that my kid is superman and can do anything and that nothing bad ever happens to me. If the young man in question is 14 and is doing a good job in a sprint car, then I'm sure he could have done it when he was 12? Maybe even 10?
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March 10, 2011 at
06:46:41 AM
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With all the safety improvements in these cars over the past couple you are way more likely to end up hurt in a crash driving to the race or watching the race than actually participating in the race. So should we not let anyone under the age of 14 into the racetrack for fear of them being hurt or killed while en route to the track? Or injured by getting a rock the head while waiting in line for a hot dog?
In my opinion if the kid wants to race and has shown talent in go-karts and or quarter midgets let him race, but make sure you buy every piece of safety gear out there.. You're just as likely to die racing something with no roll cage, no seat belts, and a plastic seat as you are driving something 120mph that has a full containment seat, hans, and plenty of protection around you.
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March 10, 2011 at
08:38:34 AM
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Problems I see is that mommy and daddy puts these kids in the best money can buy with no experience. Then they go out and tear stuff up and other peoples stuff, and then have the attitude, I dont care, I didnt pay for anything.
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March 10, 2011 at
08:44:54 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Sprinter 79 on March 09 2011 at 11:45:11 PM
Your probably right. I could have never put my kid in a sprinter that young regardless of whether or not others felt that he or she could do it. It just seems to me that children are being used to gratify something in thier folks. Kids should be kids, and that usually does not revolve around such extremely high risk activities. Not at 14 anyway. We were all pretty dumb not shortly after that! LOL
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"How Young is to Young" I think the bigger concern is when the parents get a fake birth certificate for their kid and lies about his age and then if something happens on the track. Now what? Is it the parents fault or is it the track promoter allowing him to compete on his track? How many dads do you know have done this? What does this teach their kids? Lie so we can go racing? Stark at least are being upfront about his age. I've seen Stark drive and he is not all over the track. He can race better then some of these drivers that been racing for years. Give this kid a few more years and he will be running up front with the best of them. Good Luck Trey see you in the winner circle soon!
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March 10, 2011 at
11:20:33 AM
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I'm suprised there wouldn't be a minimum age with any sprintcar track or organization. Racing experence doesn't cover the safety or liability concerns I'd have. Putting a 14 kid in a 850Hp 410, or even a 650Hp 360, when their bodies are no where near fully developed sound like trouble waiting to happen. A 14 year old may be nearly full adult size but with 1/2 the arm and neck strength to withstand some of the hellish rides we've all seen. There are no shortage of racing opportunities for them till they reach 16. If my 16 year old is 6 foot and runs a 4.40 in the 40 yard dash I'm not going to send him to play against the Hawkeyes (Cyclones maybe ).
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March 10, 2011 at
12:09:24 PM
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This is a good topic. i started racing 1/4 midgets when i was five. won everything you could. went to go karts at 12 micros at 14.. and having done this i could say 16 should be the legal age to drive a sprint car or stockcar. i have seen starks race along with larsen also started young. both can drive the wheels off those cars. but 14 is way young. yes he has been racing for 9 years but still to young for a sprint car.. i would never put my kid in a sprint car until they are atleast 16 and thats after starting in 1/4 midgets at age 5.
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