ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR CHELTENHAM DRAG RACER
Drag racer Joshua Van Amelsvoort received the Rookie of the Year award in the Thunder series at the Grand Bend Dragstrip in southwestern Ontario, an honor he earned by accumulating the highest number of points. The nine-year old, who races in the Juniors 8-12 category, began racing in June. During the first year of racing, a lot of work goes into figuring out how things work both on and off the track, said Joshua's dad. Drag racing, which is an acceleration contest from a standing start between two vehicles over a measured distance, involves quickly reacting to the starting lights, and figuring out the correct weight of the vehicle. Joshua's parents said they were very proud of their son. Not only did he have the highest score, Joshua also made it as far as runnerup in finals. Together with his parents, Joshua already longs for the upcoming season, and is currently looking for sponsors to help support his hobby.