When you ask most 8 year olds what they are doing this weekend, the answer is not go drive 60 to 80 miles per hour. However, that is what 8 year old Cole Glasson does about 40 weekends out of the year as he races competitive go karts in the southwest region.

While NASCAR, Indy, and Formula 1 fans are some of the largest spectator fans in the world, most of the general population does not know that many of these professional drivers come from karting. Each year some of the largest professional racing teams look to the ranks of karting to pull their next racing stars.

For Cole, it all began at the age of 4, when he attended the Indy 500 Race and seemed to have a passion for racing- he watched the entire race and said, “That is what I want to do”. After returning to Texas, Cole soon found himself in a kart and doing quite well. Since beginning racing at the age of 5, he has quickly made a name for himself in the region securing 57 wins and 143 podiums in just over 200 starts. His notable races to this point are racing at the Daytona International Speedway and winning the 2008 Kart Nationals. Cole currently ranks 1st in the SWRC Regional Series and 2nd in the Kart Regional Series. In many of the races, Cole will find himself against the 20 best drivers in the region.

Cole’s next big race is at the TAG World Championships in Grand Junction, Colorado beginning September 19, and he will end the season in Houston and Tulsa at the last Regional races. The 2009 season will begin in Daytona where Cole will begin racing nationally next year in the Stars of Karting- Indy Series, World Karting Association Series, and the RMAX Series where he hopes to get in the top 10 National Rankings in all three series. Cole is sponsored by Frozen Fire Films www.frozenfirefilms.com and Kart Racing Solutions www.kartracingsolutions.com . He has a full time driving coach and tuner, DJ Ortiz, who continues to develop Cole and his racing style. To continue to follow this racer’s journey, you can visit his website at www.coleglasson.com.