DALLASTOWN, Pa. — You can’t deny anyone's will to race, even if they aren’t even old enough to race at certain tracks.
We saw it happen last year with Oklahoma native Ryan Timms having his parents sign extra paperwork for him to be able to race at Port Royal. At the time, he was still a 15-year-old and racing sprint cars.
A Dallastown 5th grader and his family will be traveling the Mid-Atlantic to race 270s, but how Chason Hauck started racing is a quite funny story.
“Dad just said, 'want to race a 270?' and I said 'yeah,'" said a giggling Chason Hauck.
Yep, it was that simple—but racing isn't something new. It's in his family. It stems down generations, but it stuck when Chason watched his dad race 600CCs.
Chason is not only racing a 270; it's his first time ever racing. He jumped into the seat for the very first time last year, an experience he won't soon forget.
“It was a fun, bumpy ride," said Hauck. "I remember, I did have a titanium brake rotor, it turned red and was glowing at the end of the night."
Chason is a 5th grader in the Dallastown School District, and yes, there are a few tracks in central Pennsylvania that race 270s, but in Chason’s case, it’s about finding track he can race at. He’s a spunky 11-year-old and you have to be 12 to race at most tracks.
So, this season, Chason and his parents will be doing a lot of traveling around the Mid-Atlantic, from New York to North Carolina, to race and gain experience.
“It’s fun," said Hauck. "It’s very interesting when I go to school and say I’m racing a 270 and no one believes me. It’s really just a fun racing experience. Not really just going fast but the people you meet and all the cool things you experience."
And one other thing: he has a pretty cool nickname that all started with a pineapple shirt.
“It’s a very funny story," said Hauck. "(My) mom got me a tropical pineapple shirt and I just keep wearing my pineapple shirt and I have some pineapple socks and a pineapple hat. So, I always wear those to the races and some people just called me the pineapple kid and it just stuck.”
Because every great driver has a nickname.