SUFFOLK, Va. - It may be Kenyon Washington's first year competing in the sport of karting, but his trophy shelf is already full.
The 12-year-old Suffolk native has spent the past seven months kart racing for the Nees Racing Team in Germany, where his military family is currently stationed. He competes in the RMC Clubsport, RMC Germany and ADAC Kart Masters Series.
When Washington is at the race track everyone speaks in German and all the rules are laid out to him in German, but the language barrier hasn't slowed him down. As a rookie amateur racer, he's put together seven top-five performances, four podium finishes and three wins.
His love for racing revved up at two years old when he first watched one of his favorite movies.
"I watched the movie Cars and I just loved that so much," Washington said. "A couple years later I started collecting cars and I would play with them all the time. Then, I saw the NASCAR race and I was like that’s what I wanna do."
Although, for Washington, just becoming a NASCAR driver won't mean he's made it to the finish line.
"I want to be a NASCAR Cup Series driver, but not just because it’s the top level. I want to be a NASCAR Hall of Famer and to be remembered in the sport such as Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt."
If his fast success in year one is any indication of what the future holds, he's sure to one day be greeted by that checkered flag.
