Thursday, August 16th

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. --- On Saturday's throughout the summer, the engines roar at Airborne Speedway. But this year a slightly smaller roar is announcing the arrival of a new wave of drivers at the track.

"Our main concern is bringing up new racers and having them here on Saturday nights.", says Airborne Speedway promoter Mike Perrotte.

Airborne is hosting go-kart racing for the first time this summer. Four divisions, with drivers from age seven to their mid-teens.

"Racing go-karts and racing cars, it's all the same.", says Mike. "It's all the same philosophy. A lot of hard work and a lot of teamwork and when they start at seven years old and start learning that, it caries over."

In year's past, racers competed at makeshift tracks built on a couple of local parking lots. Bringing everyone together here at the Speedway has allowed the sport to grow.

"We have the same number, strength-wise, of the local kids we always get.", says Go-kart organizer Craig Ormsby. "But we're getting kids from Vermont, we're getting kids from Albany, kids coming from Cornwall, Ontario up Massina way. It's been huge for the growth having a real racetrack."

The young drivers are thrilled to have a chance to race on the same track that they hope to be competing on some Saturday night in the future.

"I really always looked at this place as the track I'd love to race at.", says Go-kart racer Evan Ormsby. "People that go to see my father race a Modified, come to see me race a car, just anything. It's a dream."

Drivers like ten year old Tyler Paya. Tyler is from Orange, Vermont. He races at Thunder Road and this year has made the trip across the lake. While going this fast, this low to the ground may look scary, it's kids stuff to Tyler.

"I'm not really nervous at all when I race. I'm normally just happy.", says Paya.

Tyler and the rest of these drivers are the future of local racing, and with the way they've taken to their four wheel classroom...

"I like being able to...go.", says Paya.

It's easy to see why they don't mind coming to this summer school.

--- Mike McCune