Pahrump Valley Speedway started Mini Dwarf racing for kids some three years ago and the program continues to grow.
Volunteer Pahrump Valley Mini Dwarf coordinator Dusty Park said the group has nearly tripled in size.
“We had about 11 cars last year and now we are at 36 this year,” Park said.
The program puts kids from ages 5-13 in mini race cars in two separate divisions.
The program
Park wants the kids to learn something about racing and sportsmanship.
“The number one thing that I hope all the kids get out of our group is sportsmanship and general courtesy of everyone they deal with, whether they win or lose,” Park said. “When they get older, I want them to be great racers. It’s a good kick-start for them to figure out how things work.”
After the racing was done and in the spirit of things, Karlos Gonzalez, from the junior division took first place and just before he got his trophy, he got out of his car and shook the other driver’s hand who had taken second place.
“His mom and I taught Karlos to shake hands always after a race,” Bruno Gonzalez said. “So we like the fact that Dusty teaches sportsmanship on the track.”
Of course the cars are a lot different than actual race cars.
“Things are not like a real car but it was pretty close,” Park said. “The kids get to work on them themselves and get a basic knowledge of cars. And when they get older they will be able to race just like their parents do.
On Saturday not all the cars were there, but there were some 20-plus cars, making for a pretty decent count.
“All the cars are not always here but we usually have a good car count,” Park said. “I expect the program to grow huge. The kids always put on a great show.”
The racers said they all had a great time and were eager to share their experiences.
“I have been doing it for two-and-a-half years,” Kayne Horibe, a young racer said. “ I have four first places, two second-places and one third-place. I like racing because I like beating someone.”
“My son wanted to do this since it started,” Rich Horibe said. “My son wants to do what the big cars do and that doesn’t always transfer as well. He likes to drift in the corners and these cars don’t really do that because they lose the momentum. I am trying to break him of that habit.”
Kyhlar Park, another young racer, agreed with Kayne Horibe on the racing.
“I have been racing this year and some of last year,” she said. “It’s just fun and I like beating the boys.”
Joshua Slusher was also excited to talk about his car.
“This is my third year racing,” he said. “I have three wins and I can get up to 30-35 miles an hour. My dad built this car.”
Builders of the cars
Kids can get their cars from builders like Dusty Park and Erich Shenberger or build their own. Bruno Gonzalez built his son’s car and racer Steve Stringer did the same.
A car from a builder could cost upward of $2,000 to $3,000 but if you build your own, you can save up to half. It all depends on what you want from the car.
Rich Horibe said the cars are not cheap.
“Some people go all out and some of us find the right deal,” he said. “ You can pick up a used one and make it your own.”
Chad Broadhead, Pahrump Valley Speedway owner, said that even used cars can be nearly $1,800 depending on where you buy them from.
Rich Horibe added that the cars take some work.
“I feel at times the car is more work than my Modified car that I race,” he said. “It takes a lot just fine tuning it and getting it to work. All the cars are the same class so you have to make adjustments to it. They are all the speed and gear ratio. You can play with the gears but they all have the same motor. They all go so fast.”
Racer Steve Stringer says he is getting his son started in racing, a tradition that his father, Sam Stringer passed down to him and his brother.
“It has taken me since March to build this car for my son,” Stringer said. “I am building it so we can race it up here in Tonopah and down in Pahrump. I think I have $1,200 in this thing now.”
Excitement and safety
While the races were going on there were several collisions on the Mini Dwarf track last Saturday. The kids really get into the racing and are not afraid to mix it up a bit.
One car collided with the wall and blew out a tire. Another got his wheels tangled up with another car which caused it to flip in the air and land upside-down.
Safety is paramount and the kids are taught all the flags, including the yellow caution flag and the red flag.
The turnover caused the red flag and everything came to an immediate stop while the driver was attended to. The crash looked violent but because of all the safety gear, the young man walked away from it.
Dusty Park said that driver was fine and safety was a priority on the small track, just like the big track.
Broadhead said that the kids have five-point restraints and all the latest safety gear.
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com