Tanner ‘Gotts’ some racing talent

It’s probably the first time this has happened in a long time at the Pahrump Valley Speedway, where father and son have won championships during the same season. Chad Broadhead is a wealth of information, but he recently went to the hospital and is recovering nicely so the PVT asked the next best source, racer Robert Pearson, who has been at the track for some 15 seasons.

“I know it hasn’t happened in the last 15 years, but it could have happened before,” Pearson said.

Regardless, Beau Gott won the Modified title and his son, Tanner Gott won the Mini-Dwarf title. Tanner Gott may well be the youngest champion at the speedway at six years old.

And he certainly has the racing bug.

According to his mother Ryanne Gott, Tanner Gott grew up watching his dad race at the track.

“All the way from the stroller to begging to go into the pits to help Dad,” Ryanne Gott said. “He watched the Mini Dwarfs race last year and wanted to race with his friends but he wasn’t quite old enough.”

For those who don’t know, the Mini Dwarf Class finished its second year at the Pahrump Valley Speedway. They are small cars with six-horsepower engines that limit the speed to about 20 miles per hour. These smaller vehicles allow racers from five to 13 race on a track that was built in the infield of the speedway.

The Gott family saved up for a car for Tanner between Tanner’s parents and his grandparents. Sources say these cars can cost upward of $2,000.

The family rebuilt it and surprised him with it on Christmas 2015.

Tanner turned six in July and was the youngest racer on the track this year.

At the moment, racing is all the boy wants to do.

“I want to race a Modified when I grow up but first I would like to drive a Mod Lite, like Jake Pike’s car,” Tanner Gott said. “I like to race because I get to race against my friends and my best friend Wyatt Wells. I love driving and doing the best I can in front of my friends and family in the stands.”

He said racing is his favorite sport but he also likes football, baseball and riding his bike.

As they watched him race this year, his parents feel he should be ready by 14 if he sticks with it and wants to race bigger cars on the track.

“Seeing how far Tanner went in his first year, he should have no problem racing in the upper levels,” his father Beau Gott said. “This year he went from figuring out which pedals make you stop and go, to drifting around the corners. I get more excited watching Tanner race than I do racing myself, so I will do whatever possible to keep him racing.”

Tanner Gott is like any other kid his age. He enjoys school and does well with his grades and seems well-rounded.

“I go to Floyd Elementary and am in first grade,” he said. “I got all As and one B and was the Bravo Bobcat (student of the month) for October. I like to play football, ride my bike and scooter and hang out with my best friend Wyatt.”

The Bravo Bobcat is an award given to students for personal success or character and the students are nominated by their teachers.

Are there any other racers in the Gott family?

The Gott family has a baby daughter who is three years old and may be the next sibling to hit the race cars.

“She loves to sit in Tanner and dad’s car,” Ryanne said. “Tymber is their number one cheerleader in the stands. She is Dad’s helper in the garage and he cannot be out there without her ‘helping’. Dad thinks she’ll be a racer and give Tanner a run for his money someday.”

Tymber may end up as a driver someday and that would mean the family would have three racers on the track. Ryanne Gott says the kids and her husband may be it, for as far as driving race cars, she said she will leave that up to them.

“I love racing but more from the stands point of view, cheering on my boys and our friends,” she said. “There is no better feeling than seeing them do the best they can and at times bringing in the checkered flag. Beau has tried to get me to race the powder puff race for a few years now, but I always manage sneak out of it somehow.”

Ryanne Gott said her family loves spending time around the racetrack.

“Most of our time is focused around racing, whether it’s on the track or getting the cars ready to go,” Ryanne Gott said. “If we aren’t racing, we enjoy hanging out with family and friends, barbecuing, going for rides in the mountains.”

Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com