Most students look forward to driving when they turn 16, but for communications sophomore Konrad Czaczyk he began driving competitively at the age of 13. Konrad has been go-karting for the last two years around the state of Florida competing in the Florida Karting Championship Series.
“Two years seems like a long time, but most kids started racing when they were six or seven so other kids have over ten years of experience,” Konrad said. “So they know all the techniques because they have more seat time than anyone else.”
Go-karting has become Konrad’s number one priority and something he puts almost all of his time into in order to become a better racer.
“Konrad takes it very seriously. He puts every weekend and some weekdays into racing for practice,” visual arts sophomore Cami Gonzalez, Konrad’s girlfriend, said. “Sometimes he will be gone a whole week because he’s in a race.”
Although Konrad has picked up many tricks and skills while racing, techniques are not what he finds the most important strategy in helping him to improve his driving.
“It’s not really techniques that are that important, you have to know some techniques but the most important thing is seat time,” Konrad said. “Seat time is how much time you spend on the track, how much time you’re working around the go-kart, how much time you spend around the people there; it’s overall how much experience you have karting.”
Leslaw Czaczyk, Konrad’s father, was a motor-cross champion and has been Konrad’s go-karting coach for the last two years. Mr. Czaczyk helps with the mechanical aspect of racing and is also Konrad’s support team.
“I look at how he’s racing and compare him to professional racers in order to help him improve,” Mr. Czaczyk said. “I watch for his mistakes and tell him how to change whether it’s when to accelerate, when to brake and so on.”
Konrad has come to love go-karting and is committed to his sport. However, there are many dangers and hazards Konrad must be aware of while racing in order to continue go-karting.
“I’m not scared when I race, but you need to realize that there are consequences and every action you do can not only impact you, but the people you’re racing with as well,” Konrad said. “Almost every big race the ambulance has to come out onto the track because there are no cages or roofs on the go-karts so kids flip and fall out of the kart.”
The dangers that the racers are associated with while go-karting are more common than most think and Konrad has come face to face with these serious consequences.
“Kids break their arms. That’s a common thing because so many of them flip when racing. A lot of times, if you fall out of the kart it can fall on you or you can fall back in front of other racers,” Konrad said. “When I first started out I got run over. I pulled a muscle in my back which I still feel till today. The karts are over 300 pounds so to have that pressed on top of you hurts.”
Despite the obstacles associated with racing, Konrad has competed in many competitions and has even won a few in the Road Tax Series, one of the largest racing events that is open to only one type of engine.
“I’ve won three races and I’ve had about ten podiums, or the top three positions,” Konrad said. “Hopefully this year I will win the Florida Karting Championship, but so far I’ve been doing pretty well.”
For Konrad, go-karting is not just a fun activity but also something that he looks forward to pursuing in the future as a career.
“It’s hard to get in, you can have the talent and speed but not always the money,” Konrad said. “So overall you need luck which is just as important as my dedication and devotion to the sport.”