Over the last two years I have had the joy of writing stories about a wide variety of sports, one of those being drag racing.
It is really interesting to me to see so many Humboldt youth getting involved in drag racing.
Looking through the 2016 Saskatchewan International Raceway standings I noticed a number of young Humboldt racers, with some even doing quite well.
It is really cool to see kids stepping outside of the normal summer sports like baseball and soccer and trying something different.
While it could be dangerous, racing a car can be very rewarding for children too.
These kids have the opportunity to get hands on lessons in car maintenance and repair.
The nice thing about the dragsters is the mechanics are quite simple in comparison to a new vehicle.
In addition to knowing how to fix a car driving the dragsters will also allow children to learn how to handle a vehicle long before they go on the road.
That can only serve to benefit both the children and the drivers.
From my experience when I turned 16 and was finally able to get my license, yes in Ontario we cannot get our license until we turn 16, I had never been behind the wheel of any vehicle except a lawnmower.
Needless to say I was both very nervous and not very good.
These kids are going to be more skilled and more confident behind the wheel than someone who has never been behind the wheel would be.
The drivers also learn teamwork as it takes a tremendous amount of teamwork to get a car ready.
Drag racing also teaches children the importance of discipline, as racers have to be disciplined at the line so they do not false start, but they also learn reflexes as they need to have quick reflexes to get off the line as quickly as possible.
Two of the bigger downsides to racing is cost and know-how, as racing a car is far from cheap and unless a member of the race team is an experienced mechanic there is not much point in owning a race car.
For those who have the financial means and the know-how, race on.
It is great to see you stepping outside the box.
