GREAT SCOTT!!

MM Sports Scene

When Ashlee Scott was just turning 12, her uncle Chris Nichoson saw something in her that led him to believe she had the need for speed.

So when other girls her age were wondering what lip gloss would go with a new purse, Ashlee was busy wrenching on cars with her uncle Chris in order to make sure they made a Saturday night feature at Crystal Motor Speedway .

Their first couple years, Ashlee and Chris dominated the Four-Cylinder Class at Crystal. Her first year on the track she finished second in points and during her second season she was spanking the competition every time she hit the track, forcing the other competitors to attempt to claim Scott’s car after a win. Scott and Nicholson were faced with a dilemma.

Let someone claim her car and be forced to start over from scratch or make the move up to a tougher division and showcase Scott’s talents there.

It was a no-brainer for Scott. “All I wanted to do was race,” Scott said. “We felt that I was ready to make the move up to a tougher division. I didn’t think I had anything else to prove, so we moved up to the trucks and I am loving every minute of it.”

With the help of her grandfather John Nichoson, who also raced sprint cars, her dad David Scott, and her uncle Chris, along with numerous sponsors, including Raby’s Garage, Ashlee moved up to Pro Truck Series at Crystal in 2010.

“There was a little bit of a learning curve in the beginning,” Ashlee said. “It was a lot of fun, but I wanted to go faster. I love spending time at racetracks, any racetrack. If I’m not racing, I’ll go watch a race.”

David Scott is highly impressed by his daughter’s love of speed. “She is a very good racer for a little girl,” David said. “She is pretty fearless when she is on the track. She doesn’t back down and she races you hard. Other drivers respect her for that.”

Last season, Ashlee finished fourth in points and won back-to-back features midway through the year. She also had a win in a heat race. Once the season ended, Ashlee’s dad, grandpa, and uncle looked to the off season as a building block for the 2011 season.

The plans took a devastating detour when uncle Chris died last winter, hitting the family extremely hard.

“When Chris died we didn’t know what we were going to,” David said. “The racing was his thing. He so wanted to see Ashlee succeed, and he was really proud of what she has accomplished.”

So almost starting from scratch, David and grandpa John made sure Ashlee would field a car in 2011. It was a little rough in the beginning, but the team has things moving in the right direction as the season winds down.

“Myself and John stepped to the plate this year after Chris’ death and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” David said. “The year started out pretty rough, but we are starting to roll again. Through the end of July, Ashlee is sitting fourth in points and I think if we can keep her in top five in points, Chris would be proud of what we accomplished this season.”

Not many teenagers, let alone girls, take to auto racing. Ashlee knows she has an unusual passion for race cars. But it doesn’t diminish how much time she devotes to her racing career.

“Being a girl that races, it’s not tough. It’s cool. I feel unique,” she said. “Not many people understand how intense it is. They think, ‘Your cars probably don’t go very fast or anything.’ That’s their own opinion.”

Ashlee, who turns 16 in December, has three other siblings, Caleb 21, Traitlynn 17, and Trenton 13. Her mom, Natalie Nichoson-Scott, was brought up in a racing family and her dad David said he just happened to marry into a family that had the love of speed.

Now Ashlee is following the Nichoson family lead.

“Caleb played football and baseball, my sister played sports in high school, and they all go and support me at the race track when they can,” Ashlee said. “Trenton doesn’t really care about racing at all. My mom is one of my biggest supporters.”

Besides racing, Ashlee also plays basketball for Vestaburg. At 5 feet, 8 inches, Ashlee is a solid dribbler and is able to play inside and outside when needed on the court. She is undecided on whether she is playing hoops in the winter next season.

“With racing, it’s more on the edge. Basketball, it’s just a game,” Ashlee said. “Racing, you have to pay attention to every single thing you’re doing because you’re on the edge. I like it. I love it a lot.”