ASHEVILLE, NC :: With two wins on the season, Taylor Nesbitt is finding her stride in the Late Model Stock Car ranks at Newport Speedway.  Nesbitt has won three races, including the first two races in the 2013 season, at Newport.  Now, the high school sophomore is hoping to secure a championship and win more races as she seeks to climb the ranks.

“We definitely want to win as many races as possible and hopefully a championship comes with that,” Nesbitt said.  “We’re trying for a championship but we’re focused on winning races this year.  Towards the end of the year, we’re hoping to run a few other races and maybe some Pro Cup and UARA if we find sponsors to allow us to do that.

“We’re hoping to grow as a team and hopefully we can move up in the ranks and run professionally one day and gain sponsors and run in touring divisions.  We’re looking to race at most of the tracks here in Ashville where we live so Hickory, Kingsport, Lonesome Pine and places like that , places that are different from Newport.”

Nesbitt feels Newport Speedway is a challenging and competitive track that will help her develop as a driver.

“Newport’s extremely fast and the racing is close and competitive.  It’s technical because of speed and banking and because it’s a short track.  There are different hurdles you have to go through to grow in your career here.”

Nesbitt said watching her father race is what sparked her interest in racing.

“I went to the races almost every weekend with my dad.  I got very interested in it watching him throughout the years and that’s how I got in to racing and it grew from there.”

Racing isn’t the only athletic activity Nesbitt participates in.  The high school sophomore is also a varsity cheerleader.  Nesbitt says racing and cheerleading does take away from participating in social activities, but she’s rather spend her time at a racetrack anyways.

“It’s a lot of fun racing and being in high school,” she explained.  “It gets busy at times since I’m also a varsity cheerleader.  My friends think it’s really cool and it’s very interesting.  I do miss out on activities with my friends but I’d rather be at the racetrack most of the time so I don’t mind it.”

Nesbitt will return to competition at Newport Speedway on May 25th.