In just seconds, my junior dragster was rolling.

My older brother was the one who initially sparked my interest as I watched how much he enjoyed the thrill of going fast. The first time I got in the seat, my dad strapped me in tightly, yanking my seatbelts, just as he had done with my brother. I immediately felt claustrophobic and struggled to breathe. I wasn’t going anywhere.

It took me a week or two to finally drive in my junior (a race car made specifically for kids) and make a complete pass, but it was definitely worth the wait. It was exhilarating.

Drag racing is an international sport where two to four hot rods compete in a 16-car field to move into the next round. In the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), there are 26 events where the ‘pros’ race. The winner of each event can earn up to $100,000.

For those who haven’t yet reached the pinnacle of hot rod racing, the step below is for junior dragsters. This is what I race.

Kids can start junior drag racing as young as five years of age by completing solo runs down a track. But the fun really begins at age six, when the rules change.  At that point, racers are allowed to compete in their own age brackets, which continue through age 18. As drivers move from one age bracket to the next, they grow in their experience. One skill that drivers must learn is how to master reaction time and wheel racing.

Wheel racing is getting on and off the gas or tapping the brakes lightly due to having a better reaction time off the line. The strand of lights at the start is also called the Christmas Tree due to its vertical string of color.

The reaction time significantly affects a driver. If either car were to leave the starting line too early, that driver would be disqualified. Unlike Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock racing, drag racing also requires that drivers not run faster than their predicted time. If we were to race too quickly, we can also be disqualified. Drivers intentionally slow down so they don’t break out, a technical term for running faster than a predicted time. That’s when wheel racing comes in, as drivers adjust their speed while moving down the track.

Though it may seem simplistic, it’s more than just hitting the gas and steering the car.

In drag racing, there is a considerable fear of crashing and rolling a car, but while in the zone, with proper focus and experience, that worry disappears. I once rolled a junior dragster when I was ten and just moving up into the 8.90 index (named for an expected time for those who are 10 to 12 years old). This division has a top speed of 75 miles per hour over an eighth-mile course. I made this run, also called a pass, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it didn’t start out well. I was late off the line, but since it was solely for qualifying, it didn’t really matter. Towards the end of the track where drivers have to slow down and turn onto the return road, I hit my brakes too hard causing them to lock up. As a result, my car made a sharp turn into the other car’s lane. Since I was late off the start, I did not hit the other driver. However, I’d lost control and began to roll multiple times. Not having time to think, the only thing to do was to let go of the steering wheel and hope for the best. When my ‘junior’ stopped rolling, I couldn’t believe that I was uninjured. The Safety Safari was there within seconds, and in those moments, I knew that I was okay. My roll cage was scratched, the body was cracked, and my rear axle had snapped. Thankfully, I walked away in one piece.

One accident would not stop me from my dreams. It only pushed me to go farther. Since my car was unable to make another pass without modifications, I asked my dad, “How quickly can you get my car fixed?” Unfortunately, he did not have the necessary parts on hand. My day was done.

When repairs were made in the coming weeks, I was back in my junior.

I have a long way to go before I am able to get my driver’s license and transition to the ‘big car’ by dad is building for me, a ‘67 Chevelle.  I am still competing with my junior dragster, continuing my dreams to one day race for Don Schumacher Racing in a Top Fuel dragster. And I recently earned my first championship after winning the points race in my class. One crash was unable to stop me. It just meant that I had to work harder than before. And that’s just what I did.