July 24, 2026

What Youth Racing Is Teaching Athena Rose Webster About Life

Show Notes
Transcript

Athena Rose Webster shares what it’s like to fall in love with racing at just four years old and keep building skill, confidence, and speed as a young kart driver. From her first NASCAR experience to competing at tracks across Missouri and Kansas, this conversation shows how early exposure, family support, and persistence can turn curiosity into a real motorsports journey.

She talks about the different karts she drives, what it’s like being one of the few girls in her class, and how she stays focused when races get chaotic. Along the way, Athena opens up about learning racing lines, handling disappointment, working with her mom and dad in the pits, and why she believes there’s always another race.

Her story is also a reminder that racing isn’t just about competition—it’s about friendships, family time, sponsors, and being an example for other young girls who might be thinking about giving it a try.

Key Topics

[00:01:53] - Discovering racing at age four after attending a NASCAR race
[00:03:25] - Getting family involved and moving from practice to first race
[00:03:36] - The different karts Athena drives: track car, wing car, flat kart, junior sprint
[00:05:38] - Traveling to different tracks and making new friends
[00:06:15] - Being one of the few girls in the class and why racing matters
[00:07:25] - Support system: family, brother Apollo, and sponsors
[00:09:17] - Learning racing lines and other early challenges
[00:10:41] - Race-day mindset and passing strategy
[00:12:42] - Tulsa Shootout experience and a third-place C-main finish
[00:14:07] - Kart colors, number 15, and family racing setup
[00:17:25] - Pit jobs, tire cleaning, oil changes, and helping mom
[00:18:57] - Staying calm after a bad race: “You always have another chance”
[00:20:35] - How social media helps grow racing and inspire other kids
[00:22:38] - Trophies, wins, and moving up from kid kart to cadet kart
[00:27:34] - Future goals: stepping up to bigger cars over time

Relevant Links

Athena Rose Racing on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Kansas City Karting Association (KCKA): https://www.kckarting.com/
Tulsa Shootout: https://www.tulsashootout.com/
Flo Racing: https://www.floracing.com/
High Limit Racing: https://www.highlimitracing.com/

Athena’s journey is proof that young drivers can learn fast, grow with every race, and build a future in motorsports one step at a time. Her attitude, her work ethic, and her love for racing make this a great listen for families, young racers, and anyone who wants to see more girls in karting and sprint cars.

If you’re near one of her tracks, follow along, show up, and cheer her on—because athletes like Athena are helping make racing more welcoming for the next generation.

WEBVTT

00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:22.000
Hello, everyone. This is Melinda Russell with the Women's Mother Sports Network podcast, and my guest today is Athena Rose Webster. And Athena is, very much involved in racing. She's a race car driver, so we're gonna hear her story today. So, Athena, I wanna welcome you to the show.

00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:28.000
And would you first tell me a little bit about yourself? Yes.

00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:38.000
So my name is Athena Webster. I have one little brother. His name is Apollo.

00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:39.000
Do you have

00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:44.000
any pets? Yeah. I have one cat. Her name is Zelda.

00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:47.000
Okay. And what grade are you in

00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:50.000
school? I'm in second grade.

00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:55.000
You're gonna be in second grade. Okay. But you're off for summer vacation. Yeehaw. Right?

00:00:55.000 --> 00:01:04.000
Yay. Yay. What do you like to do besides racing? Do you have any hobbies?

00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:15.000
I like going out with my neighbor, playing some games, and then I'll come in for a little, do some crafts, maybe go back out.

00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:21.000
Alright. Just kinda having a good summer. Yeah. Yeah. That's good.

00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:29.000
Awesome. Do you you live in Missouri? Yes. Okay. Alright.

00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:33.000
And and you're seven years old?

00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:34.000
Yeah. I'm seven.

00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:41.000
You're seven. Okay. Yeah. Anything else that you wanna share yourself before we talk about motorsports?

00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:42.000
Not really.

00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:53.000
Okay. Yeah. Athena, how did you get interested in motorsports at the age of seven? When did you get started?

00:01:53.000 --> 00:02:08.000
I was four. We went to our NASCAR race, and I really liked it. It was really cool. So then we found out about Kansas City Karting Association. We went to watch a race.

00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:16.000
We started practicing, and then I finally got in my first race when I was five. I started practicing when I was four.

00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:25.000
Okay. Wow. You were little. And so is Kansas City is that pretty close to you, or is that kind of a long way to go? How far away?

00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.000
About an hour.

00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:37.000
Oh, that's not bad. That's that's close. So you probably went to the race at Kansas, the NASCAR race. Yeah. I haven't been to that track, but I have that on my bucket list.

00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:45.000
I'd like to go there. I've heard it's a really nice, really nice track. It is. It is. So you were four years old.

00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:49.000
Where where were you practicing?

00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:51.000
Kansas City Karting Association.

00:02:51.000 --> 00:03:02.000
Oh, so you did go to Kansas City for your practicing too. Okay. Alright. And so you started when you were five. So you're very experienced because you are you're already seven then.

00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:10.000
You've already been doing this. This would be your third year, I would think, to do it. Right? Yeah. Yeah.

00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:25.000
So tell okay. So going to a NASCAR race is what got you interested. What did your parents think about that? Did they like racing, or did they encourage you to get involved in racing?

00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:36.000
I kinda liked it. And then we all kinda started getting into it. So we kinda Okay. Got in. So first year, I

00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:36.000
Mhmm.

00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:54.000
Go ahead. First year, I had my track car, my asphalt car. And then my second year, I finally got my wing car, dirt oval. And then I got a flat car. And then at the age of six, I got my junior spring.

00:03:54.000 --> 00:04:01.000
Wow. You've had lots of karts. Mhmm. Which one had which one did you like the best?

00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:03.000
I'd say junior sprint.

00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:13.000
Yeah. And that's what you're running right now? Is that what you're racing right now, junior sprints?

00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:15.000
Yeah. I can race all of them.

00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:24.000
But Oh, you still race all of them. Okay. Well, then you really are busy. And so does do you race them all at the Kansas City Karting Track?

00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:37.000
No. So my my outlaw wing car is a dirt kart, and then my dirt oval flat kart is a dirt kart too.

00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:38.000
Yeah.

00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:46.000
And then junior sprint is a dirt kart too. And then my asphalt sprint car will race on KCKA.

00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:50.000
Okay. Then where do you go to race the dirt cars karts?

00:04:50.000 --> 00:05:07.000
So my junior sprint, we go to Sweet Springs K. Lot Of Sports. And then dirt, oval, flat cart. We go to Emma, maybe some Butler.

00:05:07.000 --> 00:05:10.000
K.

00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:29.000
Outlaw wing kart, pretty much same as wild kart. And then my asphalt kart, KCKA. I've raced at Garnett, Kansas, and then and then Ozark International.

00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:38.000
Okay. So you've been all over the place racing out, haven't you? Yeah. Do you like that? Do you like going to different tracks?

00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:41.000
Yeah. Yeah. I do like it.

00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:45.000
Yeah. That's a lot of fun, isn't it? And you meet a lot of different people.

00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:48.000
Yeah. Meet new friends.

00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:54.000
Yeah. Absolutely. Have you made a lot of friends as you've gone to these different tracks?

00:05:54.000 --> 00:06:07.000
Yeah. Pretty much. Actually, pretty much in my asphalt sprint car, I pretty much made, like, like, all the people that were there. Yeah. Yeah.

00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:08.000
All my friends.

00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:15.000
Yeah. And are there a lot of other girls there, or how More girls than boys? More boys than girls? How's

00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:16.000
that going? More boys than girls.

00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:17.000
A lot more boys.

00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:20.000
It's only about, like, four or five.

00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.000
Four or five girls.

00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:24.000
Out of, like

00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:26.000
A lot.

00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:27.000
A lot of classes.

00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:38.000
Yeah. Okay. Do you think that running a kart or or being in motorsports, though, is that a good thing for a girl to be doing? Yeah. Yeah.

00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:46.000
Why is that? Is it fun? Do you like going fast? What do you like about it?

00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:50.000
I like going fast. It's fun. I make a lot new friends.

00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:55.000
Yeah. Mhmm. You get to spend time with your family. Yeah. Right?

00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:58.000
Yeah. Now does your little brother race?

00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:04.000
Yeah. He just started this year. He he just turned five couple in March. So

00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:13.000
Okay. Alright. So he's he's following in your footsteps. Does he look up to you when does he like watching you race?

00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:13.000
Yeah.

00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:25.000
Yeah. I bet he does. Who's who's your biggest supporter? Do you know what I mean? Like, who really cheers you on and and really helps you the most?

00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:29.000
My brother, my sponsors, and my family.

00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:35.000
Okay. So do you know who your sponsors are? Are you able to tell me who they are?

00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:50.000
Nasty Glass, Slappy, Slap Nasty Entertainment, Lindsey Techmeier State Farm, Lawrenceburg Tent, Golden Rule Company, Spirit Rentals, Property Management, Wag Dog Spices, and Gator Graphics.

00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:58.000
Wow. You got a lot of sponsors. So how did you get those? Did you go talk to those people? Are they relatives?

00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:01.000
How did you My get

00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:10.000
dad works at Gator Graphics. He's He's looked stuff up. We find kinda found them. We go went to talk to people. Yeah.

00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:14.000
And Yeah. They really wanted

00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:23.000
Yeah. It's hard to say no to a cute little girl like you, so that was probably good that you went with your dad to ask for the sponsors because Well, it

00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:25.000
me me and my mom went.

00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:29.000
Oh, you and your mom went? Oh, okay. Even better. Yeah. My dad had to work.

00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:34.000
Yeah. Exactly. Because somebody's gotta pay for racing. Right? Yeah.

00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:49.000
Yeah. For sure. So when you when you meet these new kids, do any of them, like, go to your school? Or is there anybody at your school that races besides you?

00:08:49.000 --> 00:09:01.000
When we go to Emma in Norraceway, I have a friend named Araya. She goes to my school. She races too, but she's not in the class.

00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:07.000
So Okay. Alright. So there's just the two of you, and you're both girls. That's interesting. No boys.

00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:17.000
Yeah. Interesting. So what would you say was the hardest thing for you to learn when you started racing?

00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:34.000
I'd say it was probably trying to figure out the lines because we were kinda new to racing. Nobody know anything about it. So Mhmm.

00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:37.000
Lots of things to learn. Right? Yeah. Lots. So yeah.

00:09:37.000 --> 00:10:01.000
Lots to learn. So, you know, shifting your lines, what the flags mean, how to pass, lots of stuff to learn. So what is the what is the thing now that you really wish you could be better at? Is there anything that you're like, oh, if I was just better at this?

00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:19.000
I mean, not really. It's just, like, when we're at Kansas City Karting Association, I kinda really wanna just work on, like, the first turn. It's, like, really hard to take. Mhmm. So that's kinda for that track, I wanna Yeah.

00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:41.000
Okay. Alright. And what what is the thing that happens, you know, like, when you're out on the track, what's what are you thinking about? What's there's so much going on around you. When you're sitting in your cart or you're ready to go out on the track, what are you thinking about?

00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:48.000
What I would do if I'd have to, like, pass someone in this situation

00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:50.000
K.

00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:55.000
Yeah. In this part of the track, kind of.

00:10:55.000 --> 00:11:04.000
Okay. Now do you when when you start a race, would you rather start from the front, the middle, or the back?

00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:13.000
I'd say it's probably actually the back because the middle gets a lot, like, and all that stuff crashes.

00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:13.000
Yeah.

00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:16.000
And then Right.

00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:26.000
I like that idea. Either be in the front away from all the crashes or in the back after they crash and pass them pass them. Yeah. Yeah. For sure.

00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:30.000
As long as it's not too big of a Yeah. As long as you can

00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:40.000
get around them for sure. Yeah. Yeah. In the class that you race, is there an any other little girls? Are you the only girl in your class?

00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:45.000
So yeah. In all the carts, pretty much.

00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:55.000
Okay. Alright. How do you feel about that? Does it bother you that you're the only girl? Do you wish there were a lot more girls?

00:11:55.000 --> 00:12:02.000
Kinda. Yeah. A little. But except for, I think, maybe one in my wing cart.

00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:17.000
Okay. Alright. So we need to get more girls out there doing it like you do. Maybe they just think they can't do it because they're young, but that's not true because look at you. You're out there doing it, aren't you?

00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:29.000
Yeah. Yeah. So once you outgrow your junior, then what would be the next step for you? MicroSprint. Okay.

00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:34.000
So how long are you able to run-in a junior? Till how old? Do you know?

00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:35.000
12, I think.

00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:40.000
Okay. Okay. And then you would go to a microsprint. Yeah.

00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:42.000
Which So

00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:51.000
okay. So have you ever been to, like, the Tulsa shootout or any races big races where the carts are running?

00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:57.000
Yeah. We actually just went in December.

00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:59.000
Mhmm. Mhmm.

00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:01.000
I raced my junior sprint there.

00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:02.000
Oh, wow.

00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:04.000
Take your time.

00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:05.000
That's cool.

00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:06.000
Place. But

00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.000
So what did you think of that? Was that pretty fun?

00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:12.000
Yeah. It was a lot of fun.

00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:26.000
Yeah. And there was a lot of people there. Yeah. I've taught I've interviewed several girls that were there, and they're they're all been older than you. But, man, lots of races.

00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:30.000
And from morning till night. Right? Yeah.

00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.000
Like, some days.

00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:37.000
I know. So how did you do when you were there? Did you do good? In

00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:44.000
the C main, I got In the C main. In my C main, I got third.

00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:48.000
Oh, that's really good. Yeah.

00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.000
I didn't start in my heat because engine won't start. So

00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:53.000
Oh.

00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:58.000
Started last engine. Yeah. So I started eleventh for CME.

00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:07.000
And you got up to third? Yeah. Wow. You must have been driving fast to do that. So tell me about your cart.

00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:09.000
What color is it?

00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:15.000
So my junior sprint, it's like white, purple, gold.

00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:16.000
Okay.

00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:35.000
And then my asphalt sprint car, it's kinda like red, white, blue. K. Dirt, oval, flat cart, we have, like, a blue. Blue with all, like, stickers on it with, like, sponsors and stuff.

00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:36.000
Yeah.

00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:46.000
And then wing cart, it's pretty much like a say, like a like a light purple and then, a white

00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:46.000
K.

00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:48.000
Kind of.

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:53.000
Wow. And do you have the same number for all of them, or are they different?

00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:57.000
Yeah. They're all the same. Number 15.

00:14:57.000 --> 00:15:02.000
Number 15. Did you pick that number?

00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:09.000
I didn't really pick my number. It's kinda my dad and my mom. I kinda did. Kinda.

00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:13.000
Yeah. Because that's your birthday.

00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:19.000
Fifteenth is your birthday. I just I just realized that couple like, a year ago.

00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:19.000
Yeah.

00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:23.000
I was gonna say, like, the fifteenth is my birthday.

00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:28.000
Yeah. I bet that's why they picked it. What do you think? Yeah. I know.

00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:38.000
Probably so. Yeah. So your mom and dad, neither one of them raced or your grandparents. You're the first one in your family that raced. Yeah.

00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:48.000
Wow. So do your grandparents come and watch? Are they close by? Or who's who comes and watches on the when you're racing?

00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:54.000
Who comes and watches? Mainly just us, but sometimes sponsors will come. Sometimes

00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:54.000
K.

00:15:54.000 --> 00:16:10.000
My grandparents will come out from California. Sometimes they come out from the other ones. I have two. The other ones will come out from an hour and a half

00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:11.000
Okay.

00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:12.000
For a long time.

00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:29.000
Yeah. Alright. So when you're out on the track and you're ready to pass somebody and things are getting kinda crazy out there, is your mom watching, or is she hiding her eyes?

00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:34.000
I have no idea. I I don't pay attention to her when I'm racing.

00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:38.000
Well, no. But I just wondered, is does she get nervous when you race?

00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:41.000
Yeah. She's told me many times.

00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:46.000
Yes. She gets nervous. And what about your dad? Is he your crew chief?

00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:47.000
Oh, yeah.

00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:51.000
Oh, yeah. Then do you have anybody else that helps on the cart? The carts?

00:16:51.000 --> 00:17:03.000
I'm gonna say mainly my mom, me, but because my dad like I said, my dad has to work. So but sometimes he'll help kill that racist and stuff.

00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:09.000
Yeah. Yeah. And so your mom's had to learn how to do things on the cart so that she can help you?

00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:13.000
Yeah. She learned she's learned a bunch over the past few years.

00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:19.000
Well, that's good. And so what do you do to help with the carts? Do you have certain jobs?

00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:21.000
Kinda.

00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:25.000
Yeah. So what would be some of those jobs?

00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:37.000
I can help her clean the tires. I help with, like, changing the oil and some, and then Yeah. Much good.

00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:46.000
Whenever she needs a hand, you're there to help her. Yeah. Yeah. That's good. So when you go on a let's say it's race day.

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:59.000
You get up. You probably eat breakfast. Then when you get to the cart, are you do you eat lunch, or do you eat during the day while you're racing, or do you have to wait till you're all done before you eat again?

00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:02.000
They they have a lunch break, so we can eat.

00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:16.000
Okay. Lot of girls say, I can't eat until I'm all done racing. So do you eat do you have a favorite food at the track that you like to eat?

00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:22.000
I mean, we mainly just bring, like, sandwiches and some snacks in a cooler or something. Okay.

00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:30.000
Alright. That's better for you anyway than eating fried track food and then trying to race. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:51.000
So there's gotta be something that doesn't go right. You know? Every racer has issues like something breaks or somebody wrecks you or a 100 other things could happen. When you're having a bad day at the racetrack, what happens when you how how do you deal with that? Do you cry?

00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:57.000
Do you throw your helmet? Do you what do you do?

00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:01.000
Stay calm. Finish next race.

00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:01.000
Okay.

00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:05.000
You always have another chance. You always have another race.

00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:15.000
You're so smart for a seven year old. Yes. That's so true. More people need to go by your little piece of advice there. There's always another race.

00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:40.000
And so there's no reason to have a temper tantrum, is there, when something goes wrong? Because that just makes you look bad and there's people watching. And so you wanna have a good you want people to think highly of you and not only just how you race, but that you're a good person. And so that I'm proud of you for that, Athena. That's really, really mature of you for your age for sure.

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:43.000
You could be angry, but not too angry. You

00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:58.000
can Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. You can be disappointed in yourself or in the race, but you have to just move on because there is always another race. I love that you said that.

00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:08.000
That's a great quote. Now when you're on social media, I know that your mom probably takes care of that. Does she? Yeah. Okay.

00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:35.000
And so, you know, she may have to answer this if you're not sure, but what do you think what do you think social media does to help you? Like, do your sponsors follow you? Do you get other people that know you, they start to follow and see what you're doing? What what does social media do for you? Your mom can answer.

00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:44.000
That helps, of course, that we're not about what you do and have on embracing. Helps get more fathers,

00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:44.000
more

00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:49.000
people who wanna start trying.

00:20:49.000 --> 00:21:07.000
Yeah. Good. Because if they see you doing it, then some other little girl might try it or some a parent might say, oh, Athena Webster's racing. Maybe we should take, you know, Susie out and and watch. And that's how that's how they get interested, isn't it?

00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:12.000
So you're kinda being an example for other girls to race.

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.000
Yeah. Yeah.

00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:27.000
And does your mom post, like, when you're gonna go what? Like, if you're racing, she'll post where you're gonna be, or she'll post how you did at the race. Does she stay on social media and share those kinds of things?

00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:31.000
Yeah. I've kinda, like, sat down with her, watched her do that stuff kinda.

00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:31.000
Okay.

00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:32.000
So

00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:45.000
And and do you know how somebody would find you on social media? What your handle is? Is it your name or Athena Rose Racing? Yeah. I figured.

00:21:45.000 --> 00:22:12.000
Athena Rose Racing. Okay. So people can follow you if they want to. And if they live near you in Warrensburg, Missouri down by Kansas City, then, you know, if they're interested, they could come out and watch because it's really fun to watch for sure. Do they ever do try and rides at the any of these tracks where, you know, kids can come and and give the racing a try to see if they like it?

00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:23.000
We have a lot of people that will offer their cart for kids to drink. Yeah. We have a lot of people who were, like, let some kids drive if they want to offer the car for

00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:38.000
Yeah. That's good because that's how that's how kids and their parents figure out if they want to wanna, you know, be part of racing. So I see a big a big trophy kinda sticking up behind you there.

00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:39.000
Yeah. So

00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:49.000
What's that trophy for?

00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:53.000
My first year of KCKA.

00:22:53.000 --> 00:23:05.000
Okay. And what did you win? What did you do to win I see now there's two trophies, a silver one, it looks like, and a blue one. So what did you win to to get those trophies?

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:08.000
So my big one over here

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:11.000
Yeah.

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:15.000
That's from my first year KCKA.

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:21.000
And did you win the did you win the championship or what?

00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:32.000
Kinda. In kid cart, everyone gets it, but now I moved up to cadet cart. Okay. Yeah. You have to get first, second, first coat.

00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:38.000
Alright. And have you won other trophies or or races? Have you won any races?

00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:42.000
Oh, yeah. We have a bunch downstairs in a tote.

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:43.000
Yeah. Because you just can't go

00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:50.000
the Yeah. We've been keeping them in my room. I'm like, they've they're just get

00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:52.000
They're just overrunning your room.

00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:54.000
Yeah. Taking space up.

00:23:54.000 --> 00:24:04.000
Taking space up. Yeah. So how many how how many races have you won do you think?

00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:07.000
15 to 20. Okay. 15 to 20.

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:22.000
Alright. Well, you got four different karts, so you're running a lot of races. On the weekends, do you typically just run one kind of kart, or do you race more than one at a you know, like, on a weekend?

00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:28.000
So I'll race my one in a weekend. Yeah.

00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:35.000
Yeah. That's that's enough, isn't it? Yeah. Spread it out a little bit. Okay.

00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:38.000
For sure. So when's your next race?

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:42.000
This weekend. This weekend on Saturn Saturday.

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:44.000
Okay. And where's that gonna be?

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:48.000
Sweet Springs. I'm gonna be racing my junior sprint.

00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:58.000
Okay. Alright. And is how far away is that from where you live? Thirty minutes. Oh, that's close.

00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:01.000
You must have a lot of tracks close by.

00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:02.000
Yeah. We have a lot.

00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:10.000
Yeah. Pretty much. Because some girls that I interview, they drive two or three hours or more on a weekend

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:12.000
to race. Racetrack?

00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:33.000
Yeah. Yeah. Everybody's not lucky like you and I. I have a lot of racetracks around where I live too in Michigan, but, there's a lot of places that girls who race, they have to drive a long way to actually just run a race. And so you're you're lucky and so am I that I can go watch racing that's so close by.

00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:46.000
Yeah. For sure. So, Athena, what is it about racing that keeps you going on the weekends? You could be playing with your neighbor girl. You could be going swimming.

00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:57.000
You could be going to the movie, or you could be playing softball. What is it about racing that makes you wanna do that instead of all those other things?

00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:15.000
On the weekends, like, my my neighbors pretty much just relaxing, so we kinda just take a day off on the weekends. So while he's doing that and stuff, we go racing. And, I mean

00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:21.000
Why do you like going racing when you could be doing something else?

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:32.000
Yes. Racing, it's pretty much like doing something else, but it's racing.

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:32.000
Yeah.

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:34.000
Racing is fun.

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:48.000
It's different than going to the lake or or going to the movie, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. It's hard to explain that to people who haven't raced before. They don't always understand that when we go to the racetrack

00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:49.000
do it.

00:26:49.000 --> 00:27:10.000
No. Not everybody has the chance to do it. We make new friends, and we like hanging out with them. And then we like driving the carts. And so there's a lot of things we like about it that it's hard to explain to somebody who has never been to a race or seen what it's all about.

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:15.000
But you Yeah. You do. You understand that, don't you?

00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:18.000
Do you wanna explaining it to someone because

00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:18.000
It is.

00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:22.000
I've done it a couple times. Mhmm.

00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:34.000
It is hard to explain it. Now you're seven years old. Let's let's think ten years from now. You're probably gonna be out of high school. Are you still gonna be racing, do you think?

00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:59.000
And what is your where if you could if you could choose some place to race or a thing that you wanna do involved in racing, do you have any thoughts about that? Do you wanna, like, run with high limit cars series or the world of outlaws? Do you wanna just keep racing bigger cars? Have you thought about that?

00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:06.000
Yeah. Kinda step up, step by step, go to bigger cars.

00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:14.000
Yeah. So do you ever watch High Limit Racing or World of Outlaws or any of those on, like, Flow Racing?

00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:16.000
Yeah. We've watched quite a bit, actually.

00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:26.000
Okay. Alright. My friend my friend is involved with the high limit series. She does the prayer. She's works for racers for Christ.

00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:42.000
And so I went to one of their races about a month ago here in Michigan, and that was a lot of fun watching those cars. Yeah. So that's how oh, really fast. And there were a lot of karts there. Lots of them.

00:28:42.000 --> 00:29:07.000
So that was a lot of fun. I love going to watch. So, Athena, what is it about you or your racing? Anything at all that I have not asked you about that you wanna make sure that we share on this show? Is is there anything that I didn't ask you about that we should tell about?

00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:12.000
Or you got a nice Hoosier sign hanging behind you.

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:21.000
Yeah. We kinda got that from the KCKA banquet. There's a banquet every year for

00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:22.000
Yeah.

00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:25.000
Emma,

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:27.000
KCKA, and Yeah.

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:33.000
All that. So KCKA, the banquet, that's where we got that from.

00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:42.000
Okay. Pretty cool. So It's a lot of fun. Yeah. It would be a lot of fun.

00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:51.000
What, you know, what what else can we tell our listeners about Athena that we haven't talked about?

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:55.000
I mean, there's not much. No? But

00:29:55.000 --> 00:30:03.000
We've talked about a lot. Yeah. Yeah. That's good. So you've got a lot of races scheduled yet for the summer?

00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:04.000
Yeah.

00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:07.000
Yeah. We're doing some fun stuff. So

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:16.000
Yeah. That's good. So is your schedule on, like, Facebook, or how would we find out where you're gonna be racing?

00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:17.000
Facebook.

00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:52.000
Yeah. Okay. Alright. So I encourage everybody to go to Athena Rose Racing on Facebook, and you'll be able to see where she's gonna be. Because if she's racing close to where some of you people live, you should go watch and tell her that you heard her on the podcast and encourage her on because we wanna encourage more girls to get into karts and sprint cars because there's not as many girls that race those things as there are, like, late models and street stocks and those things.

00:30:52.000 --> 00:31:08.000
So you keep doing what you're doing, Athena. You invite girls to be a part of racing, and you share why you love it, and then other people are gonna wanna be part of it too. Yeah? Yeah. Okay.

00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:15.000
Yeah. Okay. Anything else you or your mom wanna share before we go?

00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:20.000
Me, not really. No. Not really.

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:38.000
Not really? Okay. Alright. Well, I wanna thank you for being on the show, And I want you to just hold on when we stop recording, and then I'll talk to you for a minute. And and I hope you have a good successful weekend and a successful summer.

00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:44.000
And then maybe when the season's over, we'll catch up with you again and see how how it went.

00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:45.000
K.

00:31:45.000 --> 00:32:15.000
Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.