Eleven-year-old earns second place

By CINDY HUMISTON WEED | Milton Independent Race Writer

Tyler Paya sits in Jean Paul Cyr's Late Model Sportsman. Rick Paya is car owner and crew chief for the seven-time championship team. Cyr is Tyler Paya's role model.

Eleven-year-old Tyler Paya is a competitive kart veteran who’s used to winning championship titles: he already has five championships to his name. So this year when Tyler Paya finished second in the series at Airborne Park Speedway, the Georgia Elementary School fifth grade student admitted that he was a little upset.

“It feels normal now,” he admitted.

Tyler Paya, who missed the title by three spots to a 13-year-old female racer, is the youngest driver in the Gold Restrictor Plate division at the new 1/6 mile oval track situated in the infield at Airborne Park Speedway’s half-mile racetrack in Plattsburgh. The karts are all powered by 5-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engines that are restricted by a gold plate that only allows a limited amount of methanol fuel into the motor’s carburetor. That function limits the kart’s speed. About 14 competitors ranging from 11 – 15 years of age take the green flag every week with qualifying races ten laps in duration and feature events 20 laps.

“The competition is good for him. He has to learn that he can’t win all of the time,” said Michele Paya, Tyler Paya’s mother. The bar has been raised and it’s good for him. It’s a motivator and it teaches him sportsmanship. You can be a winner without winning races. It’s what people think of you. You’re seen as a whole - not just the individual successes.

“Airborne’s owner Steve Fuller and manager Mike Perrotte have taken the karting to another level; they really have. They’re wonderful. Perrotte knows how to get down to the kids’ level and talk with them and still be professional and teach them that rules are rules and this is the way that we run it. It was a great experience, definitely.”

Tyler Paya learned some important life lessons at the track. He discovered that he gleaned a sizeable portion of satisfaction when he did his personal best and overcame obstacles.

“There was this one race when I spun out on lap four,” he said of the feature race. “They didn’t throw the caution (flag) so I had to turn around and keep on going. Then I finished first. It felt good.”

“I notice that he’s more determined than ever,” said Rick Paya, Tyler Paya’s father. “He passed 11 cars to take that win.”

Tyler Paya also learned something positive from a racer who used poor judgment.

“(A racer) came along side of me and t-boned me into the wall,” Tyler Paya said. “He just turned his wheel towards me. He ended up taking us both out of the race. They talked to him and told him he had to move to another division or never race again. I was pretty glad. Most of the sportsmanship is really good.”

Tyler Paya, along with his father Rick Paya acting as crew chief, plans to continue for at least one more year in the Gold Restrictor Plate division at Airborne Speedway before moving into the unrestricted class that is open to all ages.

“Hopefully I can win next year,” Tyler Paya informed. “I’m not ready for unrestricted yet.”

The little blond-headed veteran reflected on this past season.

“I still think Red Line is the best track,” Tyler Paya added. “I was bummed that Red Line shut down. But Airborne Speedway’s the second best track. It’s really fast.”