For Ryley Seibert the need for speed is genetic.
The 20 year old, in his sixth year of racing, but third in the ARCA OK Tire Sportsman Series, received his passion for driving from his dad Trevor, a former professional driver on the Firestone Indy Lights Series and CASCAR Series.
After three years in the ARCA car Ryley is still waiting for his first victory lap.
"I'm a very strong competitor at heart especially this year," said the Williams Lake native. "I've had, I don't know if it's a bad attitude, but more of a winning attitude. I want to win this year and I want to make a name for myself. I've got some good points in my past but I really want to put a win together here."
He was off to a good start last Saturday at ARCA's third race of 2012 on the PGARA Speedway in Prince George, holding down the third position. But he was unable to avoid a minor collision that forced him to the back of the 13-car field. Rainy weather and darkness shortened the 100-lap race to 55 ending his chances of regaining any traction.
Ryley was third in points after the first two ARCA races of the year behind the 2011 points champ Mark Berriau (167) and Ian Graham (153) with 151.
In his first six races in the ARCA Series Ryley had four podium finishes. In the first race of 2012 he just missed the podium.
The winner of ARCA's first race of the season in Vernon? Trevor Seibert.
"It was good to see him out front there," said Ryley. "A lot of people doubted him the last couple years in the Vernon NASCAR races because he had an ill-handling car. It wasn't a test of his talent it was just the car. To come out and be one for one in the [ARCA] series just proves he can still drive."
Ryley finished fourth in Vernon just missing out on an opportunity to share the podium with his dad in the first time they went head to head.
"On the last lap I went three wide trying to go from fourth to second and I just couldn't make it," said Ryley, who was battling with three other drivers.. "It was an excellent show. A good night. Hopefully we'll get to share the podium in another race."
Trevor said he's as anxious to share the podium as Ryley is and he's looking forward to his son experiencing his first checkered flag.
"It was one of those deals where you know he's very talented and he could've easily won that race as well," said Trevor. "I was fortunate enough to win it. It was pretty exciting for me to be on the same track as my son. We both had excellent finishes. It would've been nice to share the podium together but that's going to come."
It may not come in the ARCA series, but the NASCAR Canada Canadian Tire Series, where Ryley made his debut in 2011 in Saskatoon. Both father and son plan to race when the Series stops in Vernon this summer, before hitting Edmonton, Saskatoon, Montreal and Trois-Rivieres, Que.
Trevor said the hard work that goes into building the car gets tiring for him, but watching Ryley and the other young drivers improve makes it worth it.
"When you're younger like Ryley is you're still pretty up on learning all this stuff, but as you get older you've got other commitments in your life and it's tough," said Trevor. "It's good to come back and be able to help Ryley out and help a few other young people out. I give them whatever assistance I can, not so much on car setup, but more guidance on what to do with a race car and how to set themselves up on a weekend to try and acquire wins."
The preparation may not excite Trevor theses days but driving keeps the 45 year old young.
"One thing that never goes away is when you get strapped into the race car and the green flag comes out," said Trevor. "It's still as exciting as it always was."
Ryley said his plan is to follow his dad's path to the professional circuits, adding even though he was only four years old when Trevor called it quits on the pro tour in 1996 he can still remember quite a bit.
"It's surprising how much I actually remember," said Ryley, recalling his dad's most famous moment in the Indy series. "I don't want to say flipping in Cleveland. He won many races but that's what he's remembered for. It was a big wreck and all over TSN.
"I just remember sitting up in the grandstands and watching it out at the airport," said Ryley about the July 1995 race. "I didn't really know much back then."
Trevor's flip out, or series of cartwheels, is downloaded on YouTube for all the world to see. The flip happened at the end of the race in Cleveland as the announcers where christening another Canadian, Greg Moore, as champion.
Ryley said until he shares a podium with dad, his favourite father/son racing moment will be when his dad and he drove out to Calgary when he was about 10 and Trevor was getting back into the sport on the CASCAR Series (now NASCAR Canada).
"We just drove over, it was probably a 12 hour drive, the longest I'd ever been on," said Ryley. "I got to go over there, spot for him and stand up on the deck of the trailer watching him. He pulled off a third after something like six years of not even being in a car."
In two years in Indy Lights racing Trevor climbed from 23rd to 16th position taking part in seven races. He drove CASCAR from 2001-2004 and NASCAR Canada from 2005-2011. He has had four top five finishes from 2001-2011 and eight top 10 finishes.
Trevor said watching Ryley circling the ovals is like looking in a mirror.
"When I'm watching him drive it's like watching myself going around a lot of the time," said Trevor.
Ryley's newfound "bad attitude" when he's on the course these days may be a trait passed down from dad.
"He's got a better temper than I had most of the time," said Trevor. "I drive better when I get mad most of the time, but I get mad easier than he does."
