10/13/2014
Katlynn Leer
ARCA teens have hobbies, but it always comes back to racing
(TOLEDO, Ohio – Oct. 14, 2014) – Anderson Bowen likes to catch bass. Katlynn Leer is a three-sport athlete. Michael Lira plays the trombone. Kyle Weatherman likes life on the water.
Teenagers have been making their mark on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for years. And, every weekend throughout the 2014 season seemed to bring a group of fast teenagers behind the wheel of an ARCA car, fighting for position on the track or, for some, to get to victory lane.
But, for some of the active teens, racing is only a part of their lives, albeit a major part. What would they be doing if they were not racing?
Bowen, 16, answered that question easily.
“I played a lot of baseball and football when I was younger, but when I started racing, I kind of stopped that,” Bowen said. “What I like to do is fish. I would be doing that if this were an off-weekend, I bet. I’d be out somewhere, trying to catch some bass.”
Leer, 15, made her ARCA debut at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds on Labor Day and raced in the ARCA race at Salem Speedway. She was racing competitively at age 7 and came up through the racing ranks in midget cars, racing on dirt. When she’s not racing, though, she is a varsity athlete at Moulton-Udell High School in Moulton, Iowa.
“I play basketball, volleyball and softball,” she said. “I like to stay involved at school when I’m not racing. It is fun to stay active and play sports.”
Austin Wayne Self is the leading contender for the SCOTT Rookie Challenge award. The 18-year-old said he played soccer when he was younger.
“I don’t know if I could play it now,” he said. “I really like football and hockey. If I wasn’t racing, maybe I’d try one of those sports. But, I think I would be racing something, if not a car, something.”
Kyle Benjamin, who is the youngest winner in ARCA Racing Series history, said he tried playing basketball, T-ball and flag football when he was about 5. Those sports didn’t stick.
“That was a long time ago,” he said. “If I wasn’t racing, I’d probably do some snowboarding or mountain biking.”
J.J. Haley, 16, said if he wasn’t racing on cars, he’d be working on cars.
“I’d do something to be around it,” he said.
Lira is in the marching band and jazz band at his high school in Florida.
“I play the trombone,” he said. “I play it in all of the ways – marching band, jazz band. I started a while ago and I just like it.”
Needless to say, the teens that are on the ARCA circuit – either for one race or a full season – are serious about stock car racing. It’s more than a hobby. It’s a passion and, despite being so young, a lifestyle.
Brothers Kyle and Clayton Weatherman, from Wentzville, Missouri, both have made racing part of their lives for years. Kyle said he does remember going wakeboarding with his father at a young age, before they started spending so much time in racing.
“I like doing things at the lake, wakeboarding for one,” said Kyle, 17. “Spending time with family is important. Racing is good for that – we spend a lot of time together at the track.”
Clayton, 15, isn’t sure what he would be doing. In fact, he said, he might not be doing anything if he couldn’t be behind wheel of something.
“Honestly, I’d be one of those kids who just sits at home,” he said. “I’ve been doing this my whole life. This is all I know.”
If you have an idea for a story about an ARCA Racing Series driver, team or crew member about life away from the race track, send an e-mail to ddonnelly@arcaracing.com.
- By Doug Donnelly, arcaracing.com
Submitted By: Katlynn Leer
