14 years old and wins $50k in a dragster. Young drivers are winning more every weekend. Lots of upcoming talent showing up more and more.

Thought you have to have a valid drivers license to drive a big car? I know where i race we are required to put our drivers license # and expire date.

Think its only track requirement.After all they can't write you a ticket for going 150 mph.

I know old Scotty was racing way before he could drive legally and pretty sure was younger than the 14 yo,but then it wasn't for 50k . Wonder how the tax deal will work for his parents their dependent just made 50k?

Where did this happen?

Wish my daughter won money like that when she was younger...would have put a nice dent in her college costs that i forked over!

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Where did this happen?

MONTGOMERY

quote:

Originally posted by loosechange:
14 years old and wins $50k in a dragster. Young drivers are winning more every weekend. Lots of upcoming talent showing up more and more.

It’s funny, you would think there would be more talk about such a young racer picking up a 50k race win. Unless you sift through some comments on fakebook, his age was hardly mentioned. In one respect I think it’s a cool story, but the other side of me just cant shake the feeling that a 14 year old had no business in a 4.90 dragster. I guess when you run some events there really aren’t any rules except pay your money at the gate, and not everyone even has to do that.

Maybe I remember this wrong. But I thought you needed a valid driver's licence to get a competition licence for under 10 seconds. Maybe it wasn't a hra track?

quote:

It’s funny, you would think there would be more talk about such a young racer picking up a 50k race win. Unless you sift through some comments on fakebook, his age was hardly mentioned. In one respect I think it’s a cool story, but the other side of me just cant shake the feeling that a 14 year old had no business in a 4.90 dragster. I guess when you run some events there really aren’t any rules except pay your money at the gate, and not everyone even has to do that.

I agree ↑

quote:

Maybe it wasn't a hra track?

It's actually an NHRA track but this was not an NHRA event.

quote:

Originally posted by cartman:

quote:

It’s funny, you would think there would be more talk about such a young racer picking up a 50k race win. Unless you sift through some comments on fakebook, his age was hardly mentioned. In one respect I think it’s a cool story, but the other side of me just cant shake the feeling that a 14 year old had no business in a 4.90 dragster. I guess when you run some events there really aren’t any rules except pay your money at the gate, and not everyone even has to do that.

I agree ↑

quote:

Maybe it wasn't a hra track?

It's actually an NHRA track but this was not an NHRA event.

doesn't matter if it was an NHRA event or not, the track is sanctioned by NHRA and are bound by guidelines and insurance requirements or which both were not followed, wouldn't be surprised to see some repercussions from this down the line.........

The 14 year old driver in question, is K C Pesnell. He has been racing (where allowed) 'big cars' all of 2019. They just got the dragster about 6-7 weeks ago.

This young man is a rare and extraordinary talent. He is more than capable of handling the car he is driving and I would have no worries going down the track beside him. I've watched him since he was stump jumping razors at 5 years old. He just has what it takes to handle speed. That's not to say he is prepared for every scenario that racing can throw at you, but he did have an opponent wreck after the finish line a couple of months ago, and he avoided the incident with great decision making and total control of the car he was in at the time. He shows ability well beyond his age, on a regular basis.

The bigger issue is, can you allow any 14 year old to do what K C is doing. Obviously, that isn't the case. Can the rules allow him to continue racing with the 'grown-ups' or will he be shut down? Can promoters pick and choose what 14 year old they'll allow to race, and tell others they can't? It is a challenging situation for sure.

All of that being said, I'm certain that K C just accomplished something that'll never happen in our sport again (unless he does it again). It is not likely that a 14 year old will get to compete on that stage very often, and the chances of them winning are almost non existent.

quote:

The bigger issue is, can you allow any 14 year old to do what K C is doing. Obviously, that isn't the case. Can the rules allow him to continue racing with the 'grown-ups' or will he be shut down? Can promoters pick and choose what 14 year old they'll allow to race, and tell others they can't? It is a challenging situation for sure.

I agree with this also. It is not so surprising to see kids this age racing at weekly events at smaller tracks but it is surprising to see a major promoter put themselves on the line and allow it on the big stage. Seems risky for the promoter if something bad would happen but I guess its their call on that.

It is sad that our sport does not allow younger kids to drive big cars . When almost every form of motor sports does. You can oval track race at 14 some places 12 with other drivers dumping and banging . But you can't drive a car 660 in a straight line until 16? KC did a great job. He beat me in that race and other then ripping the gas in the shut down I thought he drove great all weekend. I really hope nothing bad comes from the cry baby crew catching wind of his success.

At that age I didn't think he was allowed to drive a golf cart at an insured track.

Small tires in the front Big un’s in the back.....SEND IT....

quote:

Originally posted by Troy Williams:
It is sad that our sport does not allow younger kids to drive big cars . When almost every form of motor sports does. You can oval track race at 14 some places 12 with other drivers dumping and banging . But you can't drive a car 660 in a straight line until 16? KC did a great job. He beat me in that race and other then ripping the gas in the shut down I thought he drove great all weekend. I really hope nothing bad comes from the cry baby crew catching wind of his success.

Dirt cars are used to getting wrecked and expect it to happen at some point. It's just part of it. Do you support any dad with the cash putting their 12-14 year old kid in a 4.40 car? That will end up happening. There are rules for a reason. Does every kid have the ability that this kid has? NO.

It's easier to support your position when you only consider one single case. Just my 2 cents.

Curtis

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
At that age I didn't think he was allowed to drive a golf cart at an insured track.

This is true as well.
I'm not judging whether this kid should be in the car nor whether our sport should allow it. But getting down to brass tacks.....rules is rules. I don't have to agree with them. But enforcement should apply to everyone.

Curtis,
I have been around all kinds of racing all of my life. Other than demo derby not ONE racer of any kind expects or wants to crash . Not even no prep guys. Coming from a Family that operated Drag strip's for 2 decades I understand far more than most the insurance issues they face. At the point the powers that be let them race, my only concern is beating them. I know plenty of people I race and have raced with for years that have zero business driving a race car period little lone a 4.4 car. We race against cars that have 3 lug nuts on a wheel rubber vale stems, bad brakes loose steering , hose champs on trans cooler lines. Any number of issues that are far more dangerous than a birth date.

Let's face it, the kid beat Troy Williams, Will Holoman, Hunter Patton, and Cory Gulitti in route to the $50K win. He held his own with many good racers...keep in mind this does NOT make it ok.

With all that, the decisions to let the kid race was made more than once as he was in Michigan SFG as well. I was impressed by abilities and simply can NOT hold the kid accountable. The parents made the decisions and also decided it did not matter if other 14 year olds wanted to race or not as they "allowed " their kid to race as "they felt he could "handle" it. This is simply against the rules and if there was no rules half the junior fields would be trying to race on the big stage. The internet seems to request "accountability" with regularity and the parents should be accountable in some way. If KC crashed for any reason at all the internet would "BLOW UP" about how he should not be racing. The parents orchestrated and set the stage for this to occur...they may have been wrong but were clearly permitted more than once by SFG to race...Accountability rests on SFG and the parents IMO.

I surely would have had Cory in a big car at 14 if the rules permitted. My son was forced to follow the rules as every other junior kid racer HAS to follow the rules...the 14 year old does not get a pass cuz his parents were willing to lie about his age. Cory holds a license to race the cars he does as well as clearly can WIN/CRASH/LOSE with the best of them legitimately.

We/our team had an opportunity to protest at 4 cars for the $50K where Cory lost to KC with a 17 pack to a 15 pack as I was told KC was 14 years old before the semi final...but to protest to advance is simply not how we roll...KC flat out beat Cory at 4 cars and my other driver Hunter Patton a round or so before. KC earned those win lights...still does not make it OK.

Congrats to KC and family as I suggest y'all relish in the victory as I don't believe the kid will be racing big money again till he is legally 16 years old or EVERY junior parent will start buying big cars 2 years early and the s h I t show will begin.

For the record I dont agree with 14 year olds racing big cars anymore than I believe we should be racing against "house" cars...but it sure seems to happen anyhow...

I don't see how he was allowed to even race. Good for him but it just shows there is no tech and no one is checking anything at these big races.

Safety requirements are not just suggestions. They are there to protect the drivers in both lanes.

http://www.nhraracer.com/Files...al%20Regulations.pdf (42/49)

NHRA rule

quote:

10:4 CREDENTIALS
Each driver of a vehicle entered in any event conducted at an NHRA member track must be at least 16 years of age (except Jr
Dragster or Jr Street) and have either a valid state or government issued driver’s license beyond a learner’s-permit level or NHRA
Competition License subject to inspection by officials at any time. In addition, a current NHRA license is required for participation in any divisional or national NHRA-sanctioned event.

All competitors at NHRA Mello Yello national events must be a minimum of 18 years of age. A 17-year-old may apply for a Professional-category license and national event entry if all the following criteria are met: 1) applicant’s 18th birthday falls during the regular NHRA national event schedule; 2) applicant was an active participant in another NHRA license category (9.99 E.T.
or quicker) the previous year; 3) applicant holds a valid NHRA competition license (9.99 E.T. or quicker).

https://cld.bz/QQ75PZu/26/#zoom=z (39/68)

IHRA Rule

quote:

License: Each driver of a vehicle entered in any event conducted at an IHRA sanctioned facility must have a valid State drivers license beyond a learners permit and a Competition License if mandated by class requirements (except Junior Dragster). This license is subject to inspection at any time. All drivers running 0-9.99 1/4 mile or 0 to 6.39 1/8th mile must obtain an IHRA or accepted competition license.