Gentlemen…and lady…start your engines!
That’s what the announcer at the Wake County Speedway should have yelled out when the green flag waved over the stock car racers revving their engines. Starting in last place was a just-turned 13-year-old girl named Lizzy Smith – but you would never guess she was so young and female judging only by her driving. Smith is aggressive, careless in a good way, and seemingly fearless.
How does a 13-year-old girl get into racing against men twice her age, you ask? Well, Lizzy Smith did it like most young, successful, up-starts and began at the proverbial bottom of the racing leagues: go-karts. At eight years old, Smith drove her first go-kart and never looked back. According to her, most of the kids in her neighborhood would mistake her for a boy because she had short hair, wore boyish clothes, a hat, and was always rough riding around in a go-kart like a boy. From Smith’s pure enjoyment of go-kart driving and the observation of her natural skill by her parents, she started racing in the go-kart circuit.
Unbeknownst to many, racing karts is a big deal in certain circles. After four years and three championships, it wasn’t too long before others besides Smith’s parents realized her racing talent. About a year ago, Smith’s father told her about an opportunity he had to get a stock car and wondered what she thought about leaving the go-kart behind and moving on to cars. Hesitant as she was, since she loved karts so much, Smith tried and smoothly made the transition to stock cars.
The racing season at the Wake County Speedway in Raleigh starts toward the beginning of the summer and lasts until around October. Four weeks before the current season started, Smith practiced hard two times a week in preparation for her first race. She was only 12 years old when she first started, making her the youngest racer ever on the Wake County Speedway and the first female in 15 years to race there, as well. As of the end of July 2007, she has participated in approximately 10 races.
In my time with Smith and her family at the Friday, July 13 race, her manager and grandmother Alice Roland repeatedly said, “Now, you’ve gotta remember, she’s only 12,” (she had just turned 13 the week before.) And of course, that is a big deal, but it didn’t really sink in until I saw Smith racing on the track in her shiny new white 4-cylinder with a big, bright, pink number “1” on the side. I was immediately sucked into the excitement and yelling alongside all the rest of the fans before the first lap was even over.
Now, in my best announcer voice, I will give you the breakdown of the Smith’s best race yet in her short time on the track…
Smith starts in last place – she couldn’t run the qualifying race because her brand new car was having some trouble, but she made it to the 25-lap race line-up at the very last second. Despite her back position, Smith quickly picks up speed and easily overtakes a couple cars in the first few turns. In the next go-‘round, Smith gets daringly close to the car in front of her, pushing and taunting the driver to get out of her way – since he wasn’t giving in right away, Smith barely clips his back left bumper and off he goes spinning toward the wall as she gets away clean. As the green flag flies again, Smith quickly does the same aggressive maneuver and knocks out the next car moving her into fourth place and causing another caution. The crowd flips at this point, cheers mixed with jeers (some believe the “clipping” tactic is not the best etiquette), but as the race starts again Smith provokes a rising roar of applause when the third place car drastically slows and she whizzes past.
With fewer than 10 laps left, Smith gets an amazing shot of luck as the second place car has mechanical problems, stops abruptly before turn one, and has to be towed off the track – cue Smith’s move up to second. Her last opponent is the very fast black number “7” car, and Smith nervously waits behind for the green flag. But alas, the dream race of Smith’s career so far ends in second place; she could never quite catch up to the speed of the first place car, but it was an amazingly exhilarating feat to see her move from last to second. I guess the unluckiness of Friday the 13th doesn’t affect 13-year-old racers.
Smith actually looks like she’s 16, but it doesn’t take a long conversation to realize she still acts like the average pre-teen or young teenager unabashedly admitting she is “boy crazy.” Right after she crawls out of her car, Smith chats up a storm with her mother about how great of race it was and boldly stating “those guys just wouldn’t get out of my way, so I had to make them.” As soon as she changes out of her jumpsuit, a ring-pop goes in her mouth, and she is coyly talking about a boy that she wants to go talk to in the stands. At this point, is when I’m reminded…she is only 13…but she drives more aggressively than some NASCAR drivers!
So, just imagine when she is finally old enough to start participating at the NASCAR level. The Wake County Speedway is what they call a “non-sanctioned” track which is not officially recognized by NASCAR; this is why Smith, being so young, can race on it. When she is 16, Smith can race on a “sanctioned” track, and at 19 she is eligible for the real thing. That gives her six years of authentic practice before she gets to NASCAR – one can only imagine how much skill she will acquire in that time.
But for now, Smith is excited to be participating every Friday at the local speedway, and she is looking forward to her very bright future. She’s already getting great coverage with the News & Observer covering her in the May 18th issue, and the Discovery Channel is in the middle of filming a documentary of Smith and the start of her career. Smith is most impressive on the track, so you have few years to catch a race with a cheap ticket before she gets to NASCAR. So, if you’re trying to figure out what to do one Friday night, consider heading out to the Wake County Speedway in Raleigh. To hear some audio and see a picture montage of Smith, check out this link from the N&O’s coverage.
I sum up Smith’s appeal with the same phrase Smith’s grandmother liked to use: Now, you’ve gotta remember, she’s only 13. And you can be sure that Smith’s career will not “burn out” for a very long time.
Short Q&A:
• Favorite NASCAR driver? Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
• Role model? Daddy – Smith says, “His motto, what he always tells me, is to ‘have fun,’ and that’s it.” Her father raced trucks and cars for 15 years, and as owner of her car and crew chief, she greatly looks up to him.
• Biggest supporter? Her grandfather – “He’s always been there for me, and he always gives me Reese’s,” she says.
• What do younger girls think of you? “There are a lot of girls younger than me that are just in love with me.” While girls Smith’s own age are probably very envious…ah, I don’t miss those days!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Need to find activities to do with the whole family?
- Need to find places to relax?
- Looking for places to spend the day with your children?
- Interested in finding the restaurants and entertainment venues that are kid-friendly and safe?
This is your section of ZSpotlight! Stay tuned!
