With 14 top-five’s and 19 top-10’s, Kaitlyn Wallace put together a great season at Flamboro Speedway this past year en route to placing second in the standings.

“Honestly, I am super proud of my accomplishments,” she told SHORT TRACK MUSINGS. “Ever since I started racing I have barely changed my set up in my car, but I devoted last season to trying new things. With the help of my crew and a few fellow racers, I have improved the set up of my car, which has helped me improve my driving abilities. Because of that I accomplished my fastest time ever! I have become more confident behind the wheel during last season, actually running side-by-side with a few drivers, including Shawn Taylor at Sauble Speedway, in previous years I never would’ve run the outside line beside someone in fear of not keeping control of my car.

“I am also so proud of my crew and I for all this work paying off as I finished 2nd place in points!”

As she looked back at the year as a whole, she noted August 26 was the most memorable night of the year, after bouncing back from a rough first feature for a fantastic showing in the second 20-lap affair.

“I took the lead after the first lap and led at least half the race before a tight battle with Ryan Edwards-Kiss side by side before he successfully got around me,” she reflected. “We ended up finishing the rest of the race nose-tail together, one of the greatest second place finishes I’ve had, and one of the cleanest and most thrilling races as well!”

As she looks towards the upcoming year ahead, the plans are focused solely on continuing her growth behind the wheel, while continuing to improve her driving skills and aiming for a checkered flag.

“I will be working on my confidence and skills behind the wheel of my car this year which will help me improve my race times and finishes,” she commented.

For Wallace, seeing her behind the wheel becomes no surprise to those involved in the sport, with having watched her father race, as well as grandpa Al Nagy and uncles Alex and Jim Nagy. Being surrounded by those with experience has proven beneficial thus far.

“For starters, having a dad who raced cars back in the day really helps,” she explained. “I know he understands how the car looks and handles when I can’t figure out the proper way to describe it, and he has the knowledge to help give me advice on how to drive the track. On my mom’s side, my grandpa Al Nagy and my two uncles, Alex and Jim Nagy, used to race and now my cousins Hudson and Carson Nagy currently race. Sadly we race different tracks so I don’t see them very much. I know if I ever get stuck and need advice that they would be there to help me!

“It’s really amazing having racers from both sides of my family. I’ll never be alone if I’m struggling with my car or with my confidence in driving.”

While she has received advice from her father weekly with his experience, it was the words from her cousins in the first couple seasons to keep digging as they repeatedly told her, “never let anyone knock my confidence down, never let them push me around on the track, always keep diggin’.”

If racing around and with her family wasn’t enough, there is also the unique aspect in having her boyfriend Dale Millard as one of her competitors on the track. However, their relationship does not affect how she approaches the on-track product.

“I was told from the day I started racing to never treat people differently on the track just because they are my friends,” she commented. “So I don’t let my relationship affect how I am on the track, I am out there to race my race and do my best. Off the track he is my boyfriend but on the track it’s just another car I am competing against for the checkered flag.”

Down the road, there is a possibility you could see Wallace in another division, as she recalled getting the chance to test a Hot Rod for Shane and Ray Gowen.

“I never went to actually race it because this opportunity came to me at a time where I wasn’t confident enough to truly race another division but I did take it to practice quite a few times and it was a blast,” she recalled. “I’ve always loved that division, so maybe at some point I would love to give a Hot Rod a real shot.”