Young driver moving up the ranks at Penticton Speedway

PENTICTON – A young race car driver from Kaleden is quickly building a reputation for himself at the Penticton Speedway after less than two seasons on the track.

Conrad Brightman, 17, is currently second in the standings in the track’s Hornet class after finishing 2015 as Rookie of the Year.

Brightman was in first place for a short period of time this year, slipping in the standings following a crash a few weeks ago.

“I was on the first lap when I tried to go through a gap that was a little too narrow. I got clipped sideways, locked tires with another car and slid into the wall,” he says.

His car, a modified 1997 Acura Integra, suffered some major damage but he and his dad were able to make repairs and he’s now back on the track.

“It was a wake up call for me,” he says, adding the accident was a lesson that taught him to make changes to his driving habits.

Brightman is hoping to develop his interest into a career in racing although not necessarily behind the wheel. He’s also excited about future prospects in the Okanagan once the Area 27 Formula one racetrack in Oliver gets established. He’s already talked to people about possibilities at that track. He works for Top Gear Go-Karting after school, maintaining go-karts and assisting in instruction of go-kart racing.

“It's an expensive sport. He’s always looking for more sponsorship,” says Brightman’s mom Tracy.

Tracy says the family supports Conrad by videotaping all the races in each class. The videos are filmed from an overall perspective as well as from a go-pro camera in Conrad’s car.

She says her son has proven himself to be quite talented even though he’s still relatively new to racing.

“He would like to take it further. He’s interested in becoming a training driver for other drivers,” she says.

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