As the father of a very young driver this is a topic I struggle with as well.
When TJ began racing QMs as an 8 year old you started out slow and worked your way up to faster classes......not any more. People are putting their kids (very young kids) into cars that are way too fast for their experience level. How fast does a little kid need to go around a QM track?
I was never very nervous about watching my son drive a QM, with the possible exception of the World Formula class that was just lights out fast around the track. TJ seemed to take to it so naturally and ran so well that I was always pretty comfortable watching him run. We had our share of wrecks but he always jumped right out of the car. The Stanley's know how to make a damn good QM.
After 4 years of successfuly running QMs (numerous feature wins and a Senior Honda championship) we decided it was time to move on to something else so we bought a FOZ car and TJ started running Mini-Sprints with the AMSA. I'll be honest, my boy was only 13 and I was somewhat concerned that I was not being a very responsible parent by allowing him to race a Mini-Sprint around the fast, high banked corners of L-Burg Speedway. We have had our share of ups and downs during our first full year but for the most part he has done fine......although there is always that voice in the back of my mind asking me 'what the hell are you doing' when I strap him into the car before a race. Then I watch him run and it's like it was something he was born to do.
TJ is 14 now.....I cannot picture him in a midget or a sprint car, although I am sure he could see himself in one. When that day comes I will be in the stands loaded up on Miller Lite and maybe a valium or two.
I have seen some young drivers that are every bit as good as some guys that are twice their age. Much of it has to do with experience and maturity. My kid has done pretty well so far with a father/car owner that doesn't know crap about racing. The important thing is that you move them along at the right speed. There is no reason to put a kid into a car that they are not ready for. We've all seen it.......the kid in the car that his father bought that he is woefully ill prepared to drive. Situations like that are bad for the kid and everyone else on the track. I know I could not live with myself if I put my boy in a car that he was not ready to run and something happened to cause serious injury to him or someone else.
Part of me is hoping my kid will get his license in a few year, start chasing girls and give up this racing mess so I can relax again. I have always told him that when he is done I am done........there is no pressure to keep racing when the day comes that he decides he doesn't want to. Unfortunately I don't see that day coming anytime soon.
