Story By: JIM CLARKE / PETERBOROUGH SPEEDWAY – PETERBOROUGH, ONT – The next generation of local racing talent is alive and well. They’re competing in the Kingsway Auto Centre Junior Late Model Field at Peterborough Speedway.
With just a pair of events – including the 2024 Championship Clash, Saturday, August 31st – remaining on this year’s regular season calendar, Wyatt Beatty who will soon celebrate his 10th birthday occupies the top spot in his class point standings. The skilled youngster – who hails from Peterborough, Ontario – is currently in his 2nd season of competition and has fulfilled the goal of the class. He’s having fun.
“We haven’t put any pressure on Wyatt or his 12-year-old brother Kaiden since they started doing this,” explained their mother, Tanya Wright. “They both really enjoy being at the track, interacting with the fans, handing-out autograph cards and being able to tell their friends that the drive racecars on the weekend.”
Teams who race in the track’s Junior Late Model division are like a big, happy family. It isn’t an uncommon site to see a crowd of the young racers making the trek to victory lane to celebrate a race win with their friends. In the combined Pro Junior Late and the introductory ranks, Peterborough Speedway has seen 26 different teams in competition during the 2024 schedule.
Racers are assigned to each class by their lap times and on-track performance. Kaiden Beatty’s current car – built by his racing hero Tyler Betts – is 8th in the Pro Junior Late Model running order. Even though they’re still a while from moving to the seat of a full-sized stock car, the 2 different classes have proven to be an excellent talent pool for the next generation of weekly racers.
Wyatt Beatty’s No. 68 machine, with the new Hot Wheels styled paint scheme and Kaiden’s No. 86K that resembles the former Tyler Betts Late Model track championship design are both supported by Papa’s Pizza Land, Russell & Son Waterproofing, Hadder’s Auto Body & Mechanical and Full Stream Ahead. Tanya Wright says having the boys involved in racing at such an early age has proven to be an excellent family bonding experience.
“We bring family members and friends to the track for every event and they love seeing how well the boys perform when they’re racing,” said Tanya Wright. “Its hard to say how far they’ll go in the sport, but right now they’re having fun and that’s what it is all about.”
Kingsway Auto Centre Junior Late Model teams will be part of the track’s regular season line-up Saturday, August 10th and the annual Championship Clash – Saturday, August 31st – at Peterborough Speedway.