March 5, 2000
Burning Questions: London teen's hobby on the right track
By Mike Roelofsen -- Special to The London Free Press
Meet the fastest teen in town.
Andrew Perkins, 13, is the straight-A, Grade 8 pupil at White Oaks elementary school who is the 1999 CASCAR (Canadian Association of Stock Car Racing) junior rookie of the year. He has an impressive nine first-place finishes at Delaware Speedway over the last three years in his half-scale, Spec Series 1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
To promote the sport and his sponsors, Perkins has his own Web site: www.sparky.on.ca.
Andrew is the son of Anne and Doug Perkins of London.
1 - How did you become interested in auto racing?
I went to my first race at Delaware Speedway with my dad when I was about three. My dad's always been a car nut and now I've turned into one, too, I guess. I've followed both CASCAR and NASCAR racing on television for years and I've been to the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis and the Michigan 400 in Brooklyn, Mich., several times. I also follow local racing closely, too.
2 - How did you end up behind the wheel of your own car?
When I was about nine, my parents and I were checking out go-karts and micro-sprints, the open-wheeled cars with the huge spoiler on top of the roll cage. I just knew I wanted to race, but a major concern was safety. One day at Delaware, we found out about a half-scale CASCAR Junior prototype car that was going to be on display. We checked it out and liked what we saw.
3 - Why did you like it?
It was the safest race car for people my age. It had a solid tube chassis, a safety fuel cell, a metal seat with five-point safety harness and a roll cage. It had a nine-horsepower, 270 cu. cm Honda gasoline engine, meaning it can do about 110 km/h. The body is fiberglass. At $6,000, it was a bit more expensive than a go-kart or a micro-sprint.
4 - Who paid for it?
My parents did, but not before setting out a number of conditions. I had to keep my marks up at school, put together a sponsorship proposal package and send them out to local businesses and be successful in obtaining some of those sponsors. I also had to find a crew chief, which I did -- my uncle Don.
5 - Was it tough to get sponsors?
McDonald's called me in for an interview, so I got dressed in a suit and went down to their regional office. They said 'yes.' That was a good experience for me. Brian Finch Pontiac-Buick, GM Goodwrench, PCS Automation Services and Cosmo City also said `yes,' but that was done by telephone. It was important for me to show them what I could do for them as well, which is part of the reason I created my own Web site.
6 - Was that difficult?
It was time consuming, but worth it. My dad helped me out, too. I think I've had about 45,000 hits since August. I get e-mails from all over the world from kids and racing fans, which is kind of neat. It's a great way to promote the sport, my sponsors and myself.
7 - Are you a good driver?
I'm consistent. I've won my share of races, but that's not a priority. I'm learning the best race drivers drive on the edge, but don't drive stupid -- recklessly or not paying attention at all times. It's better to be smooth, to anticipate what's unfolding on the track ahead, so you can be ready for anything.
8 - Are there any girl drivers?
There is one girl driver in each of the two CASCAR Jr. divisions. Junior is ages eight to 12 and senior is 13 to 17. Actually, I've never really thought about whether another driver is female or male, just how good they are. And girls are just as good as boys.
9 - Ever had an accident?
Yes, a few. The worst was in my second year when I got hit from behind which sent me into a barrel roll. I ended up upside-down, hanging from my harness. I was OK and walked over to the on-field ambulance myself to get checked out. My shoulders were sore the next day, but that was about it. When minor accidents happen, my uncle Don just hauls out the duct tape and gets (the car) going again. Anything major and we have to take it back to Performance Fibreglass, the company that built it.
10 What do you enjoy - about racing?
It's the sounds and the smell as you're waiting inside the car, ready to go. That's my favourite time. As a driver, every race is different, so it's always exciting. I'm sure it can be a bit tense for my parents at times, though.
11 - How did you get the nickname Sparky?
That's my dad's fault. He's always been a big Detroit Tigers fan. When I was born, their manager was Sparky Anderson. He called me that out of respect for him, I guess.
12 - Are you looking forward to getting your driver's licence when you turn 16?
The rules at CASCAR Jr. are that no one can race if they're licensed. So I guess I won't be in that big a hurry. I don't want to give this up.
13 - Are you planning to turn pro one day?
Not pro, but I know racing will always be in my blood and I'll always be a fan. Right now, I'm thinking about going through for a computer software engineer. That would be a lot easier on my parents' nerves.
