PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Twelve-year-old Colton “The Bolt” Bettis is the latest driver to enter the 3rd annual Dave Steele World Non Wing Sprint Car Championship 125 February 25 at Showtime Speedway. Bettis will be among several drivers gunning for the $5,000 winner’s payday.
The Lutz, Fla. driver made news when he started his first sprint car race at Showtime Speedway last January at the age of 11. He picked up his first non-wing sprint car feature victory Oct. 2. With his entry in the Steele 125, he now faces his greatest challenge. He will go head-to-head with some of the nation’s greatest non-wing pavement sprint car drivers.
The 3rd annual Dave Steele World Non Wing Sprint Car Championship 125 February 25 has special meaning for Bettis. The race is annually held in honor of his late racing hero Dave Steele.
Bettis said the first time he saw Steele race in person he was instantly captivated.
“He was my hero. I remember watching him at Auburndale” said Bettis. “He came from dead last to run second. That’s what got me to like him. Then at Showtime the next weekend he started seventh or eighth out of twenty cars, drove straight to the front, and won the race. I went down to the pits that night to meet him and get my picture taken with him. I got to know him very well”.
Bettis is not taking the 3rd annual Dave Steele World Non Wing Sprint Car Championship 125 for granted and knows it will be his toughest challenge yet. His goals for the race are modest at best.
“I hope I can even make the show,” said Bettis. “It’s gonna be so hard to get into the show. Last year when they came down (northern drivers) they were blowing our times away by two tenths. My goal is to start in the back and run as long as I can. If I get lapped one or two times pull in and watch the rest of the race”
Before next weekend’s race, Bettis will participate in a non-wing tune-up race Saturday night at Showtime Speedway to get laps in preparation. Saturday’s race is significant as it is the final race of the 2021 season after the finale was postponed.
At the time of the season finale late last season, Bettis and LJ Grimm were locked into a tight battle for the track championship. Promoter Robert Yoho vowed to reschedule the event early in 2022. A solid run Saturday night could potentially see Bettis claim the championship in his rookie season. He would be the youngest driver to ever win a pavement sprint car championship of any sorts at the age of 12. He is already the youngest known driver to have competed in pavement sprint cars at the age of 11 last season.