Meridian Ranch Elementary School has two award-winning race car drivers among its student body. Colby Sokol, age 9, and his brother Justis Sokol, age 7, race quarter midget cars in competitions nationwide; and often walk away with top awards.ìThese are not go-carts,î said mom Amber Sokol. ìThere are full-sized midget race cars for adults, and these are just one-quarter of that scale. The boys wear full race gear with helmets and fire suits. The cars have roll cages.îSokol said the family never actually planned to get into quarter midget racing, but on a trip to buy motorcycle helmets in 2012, they discovered a quarter midget race car for sale. After researching the race car, they learned that kids must be 5 years or older to race, and Colby was just the right age, she said.The brothers are part of the Pikes Peak Quarter Midget Association, and each own four quarter midget cars that they race, Sokol said. The family has been dubbed the ìRed Armyî because all their cars are red, and they usually take multiple cars to the events, she said.Colby and Justis have also earned nicknames for themselves based on how they drive. ìMy nickname is ëSmokeí because I smoke them,î Colby said.ìMine is ëLawmaní because I lay down the law,î Justis said.A typical race is usually 30 to 40 laps around a track, measuring one-twentieth of a mile, Amber Sokol said. There are usually about nine to 11 racers on the track at any time, and the racers range from 5 to 16 years old, she said. As the kids get older, the cars they use can pick up speed.ìColby is racing faster cars now that can go about 30 to 35 miles per hour,î she said.Seeing her young sons driving fast among many other cars takes some getting used to, Sokol said. ìIt is always heads-up driving for them,î she said. ìIf someone spins out in front of them, they have to react. And there is a lot to learn, too. They have to learn what the flags mean and where they are on the track.îBoth boys have had their share of accidents on the track. ìI was in a crash before,î Colby said. ìIn 2012, I did a barrel-roll and landed on the wall.îColby said his favorite part of racing is the competition, the nice drivers and all the hard work he and his family have put into it.Justis said his favorite part was just having fun and winning.ìWe have invested a lot in doing this,î Sokol said. ìWe want to encourage newcomers to come try the sport. It is really a great sport. The kids race each other and then off the track, they are friends. There are no grudges.îThe Sokols are currently involved with the indoor season, but the start of the busy outdoor season is around the corner in May. ìWe want everyone to come out and watch us race,î Colby said. ìMaybe they can even buy a car and come race with us.î
