While many teenagers are working or enjoying the summer at a lake, Andrew Hitchcock is driving at high speeds on tightly configured racetracks around the country.
Hitchcock, 17, just finished his junior year of high school and he has firmly set his sites on moving up the ranks of auto racing.
He has some high-profile drivers supporting his efforts.
Hitchcock started racing toward the end of the pandemic in 2021 at the Northern Nevada Kart Club track in Lemmon Valley, and did well thanks to the mentorship of 12-time national champion Cole Nelson. He soon decided racing is his future.
The only way to get better and faster at racing is through experience, and Hitchcock put in endless laps at the kart track.
“I go over data and video to see how I can improve, and also being able to adapt my driving style on the track because conditions can change every session,” he said. “It might get hotter or colder, parts of the track might get more slippery.”
He said physical conditioning off the track is also important to help avoid mental and muscle fatigue.