Welcome to my Website!

Hey Everyone, excited to be finally launching my website! These last couple of years have been insanely busy for me as I’ve graduated high school, made the jump from karting to cars, and finally launched this site as I continue on my racing journey! As a first blog post I wanted to share my college application essay reflecting on one of the best days of my life, my first win of 2022! Enjoy!

Wait, I’m in first?! I’m leading the race? How is this possible? I just won! Oh my gosh, this is insane!

I am a racing driver, and those were the words going through my head when I won my first race of 2022. Entering the new season, I said, “This is the year.” During the off season, I trained harder than ever, ensuring I was more than prepared for the first race. Hours spent cycling to train physically and hours spent on the simulator training mentally, got me to this point.

7:30 AM on January 8th. I arrive at the track. First race of 2022, here we go. Three practice sessions start off the day, followed by qualifying, the heat race, and, most importantly, the final.

9:00 AM. It's time for practice one. Immediately after driving out of the pit lane, I think, “Alright the season starts now, let's make it special.” I maintain a strong pace throughout all three practice sessions. For the first time, I am comfortably at the front of the field.

12:00 PM. Qualifying can make or break your day. Instead of racing other karts wheel to wheel, you have ten minutes to set the fastest lap time possible. All it takes is one great lap to set up the rest of the day. I shut the visor on my helmet, locking away the outside world. Lap times don’t lie; it's time to see if my preparation worked. I end up putting in a pretty decent lap but I won’t know where I have finished until after the session. Not at the top, but let's see how far off pole I am. As I keep scrolling further down the list, I panic: 52nd out of 90 drivers! My goal was to be first, not 52nd. This is a disaster. Yet, I have no time to dwell. The heat race calls.

2:00 PM. The heat race lasts eight laps and determines starting positions for the final. If you take some risks you can turn your day around. The race is short however, one mistake and your day has been ruined. I start 17th, knowing I must pass as many karts as possible without mistakes. I stay calm, minimize risks, and methodically work my way to the front. I end up fourth. I just saved my day.

4:00 PM. The final. I’m starting in 12th place and I have ten laps to win. The green flag waves and we are racing. I have an incredible first lap, passing four karts. I am in eighth. “Seven karts to go,” I tell myself. Each lap, I pass another kart. In the last lap, I am running third. I drive as smart as I can, avoiding any drama on track, hoping to capitalize on another driver’s mistake. I craft a plan that now puts me in second, and the kart ahead leaves a gap as he defends for the upcoming hairpin. I see an opportunity. I brake later than him and pass him entering the corner. Two more corners to go and I can see the chequered flag. I can’t even begin to comprehend this. I just won! I then say to myself, “If you believe the impossible, it just happened!”

On January 8th, 2022 I made the (im)possible happen.