Zac Taylor, a racer from Green River, sits in his 360 cubic-inch sprint car, preparing for a hot lap at the Sweetwater Speedway Friday evening. Taylor's love of racing originally started at the speedway.
The smell of fuel and an engine's roar can leave a lasting impression on a person.
That is what happened to Zac Taylor about 11 years ago when he and his family watched racing action at the Sweetwater County Speedway in Rock Springs. Zac's father, Terry, remembers the moment his son's fascination with racing began.
The Taylor family was in the pits at the Sweetwater County Speedway when Zac was about five years old. One of the racers, Casey Delp, invited Zac to look at his car. Terry said Zac's face lit up as he got a close look at the car. Afterward, Zac told his father he wanted to race.
Zac returned to the speedway Friday night, though this time he wasn't in the stands, he was in the pits readying for his sprint car race. It was Taylor's first time racing at the track, as well as the first time he would compete in a sprint car with a 360 cubic-inch engine. Before Friday, he raced primarily in the 305 cubic-inch class.
However, competing on dirt is where Zac is most comfortable and the Sweetwater Speedway isn't too different than the other tracks he's raced on so far. Taylor was able to finish first in his races, in front of friends and family watching the event.
Prior to the race, Zac was excited for the opportunity to drive so close to home. He often travels several hours to his races. In fact, his closest race prior to the competition in Rock Springs was six hours away.
"I'm super excited," Zac said. "Everyone in my family is coming out."
Zac will face a few tough decisions in the coming years. He'd like to spend his senior year at Green River High School and graduate at home, but if the opportunity of competing nationally arises, staying in Green River won't be feasible. He'll have to choose between racing throughout the county or competing regionally while finishing high school in Green River.
However, Terry said Zac's used to making difficult decisions.
"Do you go to prom or go race? Do you go to your girlfriend's birthday party or go race," Terry said, giving an example of the decisions his son sometimes has to make.
Terry said a number of people Zac has competed against believe he has a legitimate shot at racing professionally. While other young racers he competes against has race coaches helping set their cars up for individual races and offering advice throughout their season, Zac hasn't had that luxury. Terry said the Taylors have learned everything they know through trial and error, as they weren't a racing family before Zac's interest in the sport developed.
"We didn't have that," Terry said.
Terry said he's learned his son can drive fast and make quick decisions, important skills needed for professional racing, and has consistently beat better prepared drivers.
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