Ellsworth’s Wyatt Alexander began racing go-karts when he was four years old at Thundering Valley Raceway in St. Albans.
He eventually graduated to the Amsoil NELCAR Legends series which involves race cars powered by motorcycle engines, with bodies that mimic cars from the 1930s and ‘40s.
Now he is driving Super Late Model cars and is one of four finalists, out of 800 entrants, in the Valvoline Fast Track to Fame competition. It is worth $50,000 in cash, prizes and sponsorship to the winner. The other three will also receive money and prizes.
Alexander had to write a brief biography and send it to Valvoline last year.
“I didn’t think much of it and then I got a call and learned I was a finalist,” said Alexander, who moved to North Carolina last fall where he is a mechanical engineering technology student at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. He just completed his freshman year.
“I was really surprised. I’m just happy I made it this far. I have gotten great recognition. It’s a way to get your name out there,” said Alexander, a former soccer player and honor roll student at Ellsworth High. “It has the potential to be pretty huge (if I win).”
The finalists were chosen based on a variety of criteria as well as fan voting. Entrants were encouraged to share their entries with their friends and family to gain votes. The four finalists may be featured in a video series so voters get a look at their struggles and aspirations but Alexander said he hasn’t been informed about the details yet.
The contest winner will be announced on July 10. Voting will conclude on July 3. People can vote for him on his Wyatt Alexander Racing facebook page or on the https://team.valvoline.com/fast-track page.
The 18-year-old Alexander has compiled an impressive resume in his young career.
Three years ago, he became the youngest winner of the Boss Hawg 100 Pro Stock (Super Late Model) race at Wiscasset Speedway. He was the track’s Rookie of the Year in the Pro Stock class that season and finished fourth in points.
He also has won several Super Late Model races and a Legends race in addition to go-kart races. He was the 2012 World Karting Association Speedway Pavement Series Junior Sportsman Grand National champion and the 2014 U.S. Legends Cars Maine State Young Lion champion.
His 2015 season represents the last time he ran for points. He has run a number of Super Late Model races at various tracks over the past three seasons including two races in North Carolina earlier this year.
He is planning to run 12 races this summer including “five or six” Pro All-Stars Series Super Late Model North and South races. His next one will be the PASS SLM North race at Hermon’s Speedway 95 on June 17.
“I like racing at Speedway 95 and I love (the competition) in PASS,” said Alexander.
His Chevy SLM cars are currently at the Wyatt Alexander Racing shop in Ellsworth.
His grandfather, Bob Alexander, and his father, Brett, work on his cars with some friends.
His grandfather won several Pro Stock races during his legendary career which earned him a spot in the Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Wyatt Alexander is currently working for two race teams, a Legends team and a Super Late Model outfit in North Carolina. He is handling a variety of chores in their race shops.
Alexander, who is also the grandson of the late well-known sportscaster Tug White, said he wants to go as far as he can as a driver. He wants to keep moving up the ladder and would love to find himself in the cockpit of a Monster Energy Cup Series car someday.
But he also knows those jobs are very difficult to attain. However, he also knows his mechanical engineering technology degree could land him with a NASCAR team as an engineer or in some other capacity.
“I want to keep racing as long as possible,” said Alexander who noted that if he wins the Valvoline Fast Track to Fame competition, it would enable him to run more races.
“But I’m pretty realistic. With my degree, I could get a good job (in racing). The school has a great reputation pertaining to the degree I want,” said Alexander, who added that several graduates with that degree have gone on to work for NASCAR teams.
He pointed out that it could lead to a good job outside of NASCAR so he could still race in his spare time.
“I love racing,” he said.
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