A young stock car driver is racing ahead of the competition thanks to wins across the UK and abroad.
Caitlin Mitchell (11) is out in front when it comes to the sport and was named Crimond Raceway Driver of the Year for the 2022 season.
She has now progressed to the next level – learning to race mini stock cars, using an accelerator, clutch and brake.
Her mum Amanda said the whole family is extremely proud of what the East Calder Primary pupil has achieved in the three years she’s been racing.
She said: “As she’s grown-up, any kind of hobby she’s eventually given up, but with the racing she’s really focused on it and we always thought at the end of her micro career that would be her, but she was asking to do the next formula, which is a big jump.
“You go from a micro F2, which is basically a go-kart, whereas the car she’s in now, we’ve basically had to teach her how to drive.
“At just 10 years old she was going round a track, using a clutch, accelerator and a brake, it’s crazy at that age.”
Caitlin had been racing the Micro F2 stock cars for ages seven to 11 years and as she turned 11 recently, has progressed up to the next formula, which is mini-stocks.
She races every weekend at Cowdenbeath in Fife and has travelled to Crimond in Aberdeen, Taunton, Skegness and Aldershot and Ireland and is the only Scottish kid to travel to races in Holland.
Amanda continued: “She’s benefitted a lot from us travelling, we had some really good sponsors last year, and gave her the opportunity to travel.
“It’s a family thing, her dad’s involved, I raced when I was younger and we go on holiday every year to Greece, we’re friendly with the people who own the go-karts and that’s how she eventually wanted to do it herself.
“A lot times, because the mums and dads do it, they kind of force the kids to do it, but I always said I would never just buy her a car, she would need to want to do it. Nowadays kids just get handed stuff so we always said we wouldn’t just get her one.
“She raced the go-karts on holiday a few times and we saw potential in her and my husband gave her a lap time to beat and she went out and beat it by three seconds, so she got one that Christmas and then it went from there.
“She helps her dad and has a lot got a lot more interest as she’s got older to try and help out as well.
“We hope she’ll stay in stock cars and see where it takes her.
“All we hope that she enjoys it as much as she did racing the micros and anything else is a bonus.”
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