After the final bell rings, most students worry about math homework, or when the next big test is. However for one Noblesville student, there’s a different passion on her mind. It’s the sensation of adrenaline, the sharp smell of gasoline in the air, and an engine’s low purr. It’s the feeling of dirt exploding like fireworks underneath her race car, and the place where chaos meets control.
Sophomore Iylah Williams has been racing quarter midgets, a small but powerful open wheel car. She has been racing since she was a child, and has recently moved to a scaled down version of sprint cars.
”My grandpa used to race go-karts, and my dad kind of just put me and my brother into quarter midgets, and now I’m in microsprints,” Williams said.
Her grandfather’s influence is evident to her family, but what sparked her dad to pass racing on to his own kids?
“My dad grew up racing go-karts when he was younger, and that kind of skipped me, but I knew when I had kids, I wanted to give them the chance to race,” Jason Williams, Iylah’s coach and dad, said.
While her father paved the way for her racing career, Williams faced her own trials on the track. She’s learning how to balance excitement with the pressure to perform.
“I’m really nervous when I start, but once I hit the track, I’m fine, and just try to do my best and look out for mistakes,” Williams said.
Williams racing has given her family and herself countless unforgettable experiences. But some milestones in her career stand out.
“Last year I got my first regional win, so that was pretty big for me,” William said. “I got fifth in the country last year for one of my classes.”
While trophies and wins are often what fans fixate on, according to Williams another aspect that is often overlooked is the connections and unique experience that racing provides.
“I love all my friends that I’ve made, and traveling. I also just like doing well,” Williams said.
These relationships don’t stop with friends; they even connect siblings. Brady Williams, Iylah’s 12-year-old brother and fellow racer sees the importance of their sibling rivalry.
“It’s good competition because if you have a sibling racing, they like to push you to do better,” Brady said.
Beyond the sibling competition and individual success, racing for the Williams family is also about family connection, teamwork, and support.
“Anything with the kids, we just have to realize that we are trying to do this together, that we are trying to get better as a family,” Jason said.
Racing isn’t just about speed or a hobby for the Williams family, it’s a hands-on educational experience. Late nights in the garage and sacrificed free time are all a part of the lesson, according to Jason.
“A lot of the reason I got them into this is because I wanted them to have mechanical aptitude, to understand how to fix [their cars],” Jason said.
The future may be uncertain, but one thing is clear: Williams plans to keep pursuing the sport she loves.
“I definitely want to keep doing it for a few more years, but I don’t know how it will look once I’m in college,” Williams said.
