Youth of the Nation – Drag and Drive Brings Sixteen Competitors Under the Age of 21 to Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks
When a story was done a few years ago about the percentage of 16 year-olds that had their driver licenses, the answer came back a shocking 25.3-percent (down from 46-percent in 1983)!
As a motorsports and car enthusiast, was it right to think that our hobby and future was in jeopardy?
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Using data from the Federal Highway Administration, 59.7-percent of 18 year-olds had their license (down from 80.4-percent in 1983). So, not as alarming, but still not encouraging that 40-percent of 18 year-old adults didn’t possess a driver license.
This caused me to reflect back on my youth; watching my father race from the age of nine, and waiting for that day to get my driver license. And then I thought of Blayne Stark, and in many ways, our paths were similar.
He’s been a fixture alongside his father Tom, riding along in the shotgun seat, recording his runs, staging him in just the right spot on the starting line. Maybe our future wasn’t so bleak? So, I dug a little deeper.
A total of sixteen participants under 21 years-old did the deed on Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks this year (and for some, their second-straight year)!
Six of them are under eighteen years-old! And in a climate where it’s easy to get into thousands of other things besides cars or a drag-and-drive, we felt it necessary to highlight some of them here!
Blayne Stark – 16 years-old – Rowdy Radial
After guiding father Tom into the beams for years, it was Blayne’s turn behind the wheel at Sick Summer.
Now, granted it wasn’t his first time in the driver seat (he’s done Rocky Mountain Race Week in the Junior Street class), or the first time behind the wheel of the Motion Raceworks’ El Toro Mustang (he tried at Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, but was out after day one).
But Blayne wheeled the Mustang on tiny tires like a veteran, averaging out at a 5.13 to win class and the coveted orange helmet.
The excitement was there as Blayne accepted his prize, but also the rush of emotion, and the tears started when he gave Alex Taylor a hug following the conclusion of the awards ceremony.
Alex Taylor started drag-and-drive competition at the age of 16; what could the future hold for Blayne Stark?
Carter Jackson – 16 years-old – Bullseye Challenge
Following along with father Kevin Jackson who competed in Hot Rod Drag Week with a ’32 Ford 5-Window Coupe online at home, 16 year-old Carter participated in his first drag-and-drive one year ago as part of Sick Ward on the inaugural Sick Summer.
One year later, he traded the Sick Ward for a competitor spot, and drove his 2003 Chevrolet S-10 in the Bullseye Challenge class.
He got close to the ‘25’ bullseye on day three with a 17.28 pass, and Carter completed his first drag-and-drive as a competitor, with dad Kevin in the co-pilot seat.
Jace Rymarz – 16 years-old – Dial-Your-Own (DYO)
Another competitor that had a chance to follow family members past experiences is Jace Rymarz.
His brother Cole participated in his first drag-and-drive one year ago with his purple 1996 Ford Mustang, and this year Jace got his first chance behind the wheel in a 1985 Ford LTD sedan.
Clutching his driver license for the first time just one day before tech in began, Jace successfully completed the week alongside brother Jace and uncles Rick and Mike as a competitor.
Father Jim and mother DeNichole rode and cheered on the entire family from the starting line all week. It appears another Rymarz is hooked into the drag-and-drive lifestyle.
Aly Kurczak - 17 years-old – Dial-Your-Own (DYO)
After riding co-pilot with father Jeff on the 2023 edition of Sick Summer, Aly ‘Gator’ Kurczak was supposed to make her debut as a driver behind the wheel of her 1974 Dodge Dart at last year’s Hot Rod Drag Week.
But alas, issues were discovered with the 360 block for her car, with cracks discovered inside near the cam journals. Out of Hot Rod Drag Week, Aly turned her focus to Sick Summer 2024, hoping to join father Jeff and brother Nick for a three-car effort.
But unfortunately, all three were sidelined by the end of day one. Making the most of it, Aly and Jeff jumped in with Jeff’s sister Karen Vander Velde, while Nick hitched a ride with Wyatt Schultz, who completed the 2023 edition of Sick Summer at eighteen years young as his first drag-and-drive.
We saw the Kurczak’s at the awards ceremony smiling as if they had won a class, and Jeff says he’ll carry that feeling into the ‘off-season’ to get all the rides in shape for 2025.
Ellen Windau - 17 years-old – Bullseye Challenge
After watching 21 year-old big brother Tanner Windau compete in the 2023 edition of Sick Summer, Ellen decided to join him this year behind the wheel of her 1980 model Chevrolet Camaro.
Both the Windaus competed in the Bullseye Challenge class, and Tanner managed to come away with the Day 5 win running a 12.69 against the ‘67’ bullseye number.
Ellen’s Camaro stayed in the mid 15-second range all week, but she uncorked her best run on the final day, a 15.08 at 93 mph.
Abbey Hughes – 17 years-old – Sick BBQ – Ice Cream – Hot Dog Truck
Although not an official competitor, Abbey Hughes joined mother Leticia on her first drag-and-drive when they won the chance to wheel the Sick BBQ truck (also known as the Sick Ice Cream truck, Sick Hot Dog truck, the truck that blast the air horn every five minutes).
Although she has competed and won in Junior Street competition before, Abbey saw it fit for mom Leticia to do the majority of the driving, while she helped to hand out hundreds of hot dogs, water and ice cream sandwiches.
At the end of the week, Abbey proclaimed she’s ready to make the jump to the driver seat in 2025 as a competitor. Will Leticia join her for a two-car effort, or take the co-pilot role?
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Chris Story Foto, Megan Taylor, DeNichole Rymarz, Ellen Windau, and Leticia Hughes.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com