It did not take long for seventh grader Jon Michael Gant to fall in love with drag racing. He volunteered at the Rocket City Dragway last Spring, and by Fall Break he won his first race.
"I immediately fell in love with the speed and excitement," Gant said. "What started as volunteering quickly turned into a passion, and I knew I wanted to get involved in racing myself."
Gant was originally scheduled to race at Brainerd Motorsports Park in Ringgold, Georgia, but the event the postponed due to weather. The Gants made a last-minute plan to hit the road for the Sand Mountain Dragway instead.
"It turned out to be a great decision because I won first place and took home a cash prize," Gant said. "Sometimes the best racing adventure happen when plans change."
Gant competes in the half-scale junior drag racing where he races a half-scale dragster down an eighth-mile track, reaching speeds of around 85 miles per hour in just 7.9 seconds.
"I love the speed and the incredible sounds of the car. There's nothing quite like the feeling of racing down the track," Gant said.
Gant says the sport takes a lot of speed in a short amount of time, and it takes focus, skill and preparation to compete.
"I prep my tires to make them sticky for better traction, check my fuel, change the oil before each race and make sure my starter, golf cart and lift are all charged and ready to go," Gant said. "There are many other little things that have to be checked, too. Racing isn't just about driving fast, it's also about making sure everything is ready and safe before you get on the track."
Gant will head to Etheridge Motorsports Park in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee next. A win in this race will qualify Gant for an invitation to the World Finals in Ohio at the end of October.
"That give me even more to look forward to, and I'm excited to see what happens," Gant said. "I have met some great friends in a short time, and I am grateful for my sponsors who have supported my journey. My goal is to keep improving, gain more experience, and see how far I can go with this racing journey."