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By: Kevin Pakos for Sports
and Entertainment News.
Why Isn't this Kid in School?
I'll tell you what, if I can catch up to her, I will ask
her.....
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Or NOT... She, Cassie Gannis is on the Fast Track,
and I do mean fast. She is on her way to breaking into
the NASCAR circuit as a driver and it is unlikely that
anything I drive could catch her now.
She is a strapped in, totally focused, normal everyday
teenage girl with great parents, cool friends and just
happens to drive 200 plus miles an hour on weekends. How
great is that?
She is racing full time at Irwindale and will be joined
by High Points Racing owner Tim Huddleston, also head of
Driver Development. |
I spoke to her mom Kathy and this is what I found out about this
Amazing young lady.
This is her senior year of high school, tell us about
it!
Cassie is a senior at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix and
maintains a 3.5 GPA She only has to go half a day. She attends
school from 8:30 to 12:30 PM. She is very close to the number
credits to graduate. She only needed 2 more units but has to
take at least 4 classes under the law. The school is very
understanding and supportive of her career. And
Cassie communicates well with her teachers which they really
appreciate. She gives them plenty of notice on days she will
miss and makes arrangements for tests and assignments that may
be
missed.
What is the family life going to be like with Irwindale
in the picture? Cassie has been racing on the weekends
for a while now. She will just be traveling farther now. So
family like will pretty much be the same but Cassie will be
doing a lot of traveling to CA on the weekends. She is a driver
with a high profile team now so all she does is show up and they
have the car ready. She tells them the adjustments she needs
after practice and they go from there.
Is the family relocating?
No, not at all. For now she will be flying in on Friday and
returning home Sunday. Both kids have been frequent flyers since
they were born so they are very used to it
Will one of you be with her in Irwindale most of the
time?
Either myself or her father, John will be with her since she is
a minor. There has been one time recently she flew to
California herself because they had to put in her seat and make
some final fits. She flew there and back in one day. She spent
the day with her team going over the car then returned later
in the day. If she has to go by herself on a rare occasion we
have the utmost respect for Tim Huddleston of
High Point Racing and his team. They have a great
reputation. (Since we also have another daughter, Alexis,
playing Basketball at University of Portland on a
basketball scholarship, John and I will be tag teaming between
the 2 girls)
When does she go there and how long is her season?
She leaves Phoenix after school on FRI then returns home SUN.
Her season is March to November
Do they have a car just for her?
Yes, they build her a new car! Her car number is 56. It is a
late model.
What about the car she has been driving, what happens to
it?
Our team owned Super late model #7 will become a sponsor show
car and will also do teen driving safety events in CA, NV and
AZ. A passion for Cassie is her Teen Driving Safety platform.
She has spoke at high schools, colleges, AAA events and Boys
and Girls Club safety days. If she saves one life it is all
worth. She has been so blessed it is very important to give
back. She will race exclusively under the direction of Tim in
California. And she will race our Super Late Model at Tucson and
the Bullring when her CA schedule permits.
Where are Rick Butler and Blue Media in the
relationship now?
Rick Butler will help when we are in
Tucson. Working with Andy at Blue Media is fun. Blue Media does
the team owned car wrap. She will also do their product shows to
sign autographs for
Blue Media.
Other products sponsors:
Impact racing, C and M Industries,
Flash
Automotive,
5 Star
Bodies, Red Hawk Graphics and GAT Racing.
She is represented by
MPM
Marketing, Tonya McCallister, out
of South Carolina. She can be contacted for sponsorship
information-803.361.6199
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