Olivia: “I like to go fast. I practice once a week, but I think about racing all of the time. My dad used to race sprint cars. I draw the track on the driveway and race hot wheels on it. My first race is next Saturday. I also turn seven that day, but I’m more excited about the race.”

Olivia’s father: “Olivia was a preemie born at 28 weeks. She weighed 2.3 pounds at birth, and she’s been fighting ever since. I blame her energy on the pure oxygen they gave her. I started racing when I was four-and-a-half and traveled all over the country doing it. Now I get to teach my daughter.”

Olivia’s grandfather: “I always wanted to race. We ran a drag car in Charleston and I realized anyone could do it. We moved to a bigger class of stock cars and sprint cars. We blew up our motor a while back and are working on getting it back in. It’s exciting watching my granddaughter get into racing.”

We raced the southeastern circuit with the point races. We won the championship one year. The trophy was so big we had to take it apart to get it in the car. Racing became an addiction we did together as a family. We made friends with people all over and we took care of each other. Olivia has the same instincts and reactions her dad did. I still get a rock in my stomach when I see any of them race.”