Why Is It That...

just when you've cut back on your blogging you find something interesting?

From today's Denver Post


Tiny Titans Of The Tracks



Kurtland Larke, 6, sits atop his half-scale Monte Carlo mini-cup racer at IMI Motorsports Complex in Dacono. He races the car at speeds over 80 mph. Kids' racing advocates say firesuits, harnesses and restraints keep them safe. (Post / Helen H. Richardson)






Maybe it is just me but I don't think the words, races, car, 80 mph, firesuits, harnesses, and restraints, belong in the same paragraph as the phrase Kurtland Larke, 6. I would not trust a child with a book of matches at this age.

His father says, he has no worries when it comes to his son's safety.

"We started him off slow. He couldn't go faster than 15-20 mph at first," Larke said. "He uses a professional helmet, fireproof suit, gloves, shoes, and head and neck restraints."

Another father, who's six year-old and five year-old also race, said about the sport, "It's a big family thing. It forces you to spend time with your kids, and it keeps them out of trouble."

It forces him to spend time with his own children? Is he actually implying that if having his children in this "sport" wasn't interesting to him, he would not be spending any time with them at all?

If you still think these kids are old enough to be zooming down the track at speeds over 80 mph, read what professional race car driver Milka Duno has to say about racing:

"To be a race car driver you need to work on your concentration. You have to make quick decisions while driving at very high speeds. So you must be very focused. You must be disciplined and very responsible, because any distraction could have serious consequences."

As we all know six year-olds are known for their ability to concentrate, stay focused, and make quick decisions. But, as the Post article points out, that is not what is going on here anyway:

Before the car leaves the pits, Larke preps his son, making sure he understands the tough areas of the track before he is off and running. Larke uses hand signals and yells motorsports jargon to his son, instructing him on how fast he should be going and what he needs to do.

These kids are just live remote control car drivers with Daddy as the puppet master.