Most people view go-karting as a fun weekend activity to share with friends and family. However, that’s not the case for senior Noah Snowdon, who takes it to the next level by committing to competing in serious go-kart sport competitions. As soon as the weekend starts, he heads to the nearest racing track in Riverside. He is eager to spend his weekend fine-tuning his kart, pushing his limits, and chasing the thrill of the race. Go-karting requires a lot of preparation, dedicating his time to practice runs under the sun, and long drives to competitions that test his endurance and commitment.
Snowdon knew from a young age that racing was his passion in life, having been inspired by watching Formula One racing with his dad since he was a little boy. He began his career by racing with rental cars, which eventually led to him acquiring his first race kart in Brazil, where he first learned the basics of go-karting.
“I’ve always been interested in cars. Watching Formula One racing with my dad has made me curious about it,” Snowdon said. “Each summer we visited my family in Brazil, and I practiced racing there, and recently I got my own go-kart.”
Go-kart racing is more than just racing to the finish line; it requires constant strategy and shifting of plans to secure the win. To be able to pull this off, it requires an intensive amount of focus and consistency to stay within the zone while racing.
“There’s a technique I practiced where you defend your position in the race of where you want your car to be, making opponents mess up and go more slowly, [which blocks them] from overtaking you. I also had to learn how to train my eyes to resist looking straight ahead, rather towards the direction I want my kart to go,” Snowdon said.
Snowdon is motivated by the competitive aspect of racing, the thrill, and his natural enjoyment of the sport. He utilizes his motivation to manage the balance of school, his social life, and discipline, which he has improved over the years.
“I’m very unorganized, but my discipline has improved over the years. [I put] more effort into school and dedicating any free time I have to racing,” Snowdon said. “I will always continue to try and improve myself, because I know it will lead me to a better future and make me feel better about myself.”
Snowdon’s mother, Celia Snowdon, is supportive of her son’s go-kart racing career and admires his commitment to his sport. She admits to being nervous as he zips down the race track, but also feels a strong desire to root for Snowdon to win his race.
“I’m very proud of him for finding his passion that makes him happy. It was especially amazing when he had a streak of being on the podium for his competitions,” Celia Snowdon said, “It seems like he was born to race, and I’m so glad he found himself on that race track and hasn’t stopped since.” Senior Bennett Sootkoos, Snowdon’s friend for six years, built a simulating race track for Snowdon, which helps him practice more often and improve his Go-karting skills and maneuvers. Sootkoos commends Snowdon for his intense focus and quick-decision critical thinking skills that resulted in him winning trophies.
“Go-kart racing is much more complex than it seems. Seeing him pursue challenges and success is really impressive. He can make decisions within milliseconds while actively racing, [resulting] in him advancing in the race,” Sootkoos said.
Go-kart racing doesn’t appear as physically demanding, so some people don’t view it as a sport. According to Snowdon, it requires a lot of physical stamina, and he hopes more people become aware of the dedication it takes.
“Go-karting is physically strenuous on your forearms because the steering wheel has a lot of vibrations, but you have to learn to hold the steering wheel steady. Also, you have to train and strengthen your neck muscles because the G force is strong when racing. Mentally, you have to focus on where you are driving to and not think about losing or messing up,” Snowdon said. He doesn’t let that limit him; instead, he uses that time to challenge himself, learning how to balance the mental and physical demands of a sport that is tougher than it seems while being able to enjoy it for its entirety.
