Car racing Belle River teen turns heads at the track at the age of 16

Belle River teen hits the race track A teenager from Belle River turned heads during his debut appearance on the race track. CTV Windsor's Rich Garton reports.

Chase Pinsonneault first got behind the wheel of a micro-sprint kart when he was 6-years-old and he never looked back.

“Once you kind of get into it, you're pretty hooked,” said Pinsonneault, who is now 16. He just got his G1 learners permit to drive on area roadways a few weeks ago.

But during the 2022 racing season at the age of 15, the Belle River, Ont. teen tore up the track in a big way.

“Really, it's pretty straightforward. Just keep it under control and drive it as hard as you can until the end of the race tracks,” said Pinsonneault, who this past summer raced 35 times in two circuits at Flamboro and Delaware speedways.

He took home a handful of podium finishes and flew the checkered flag a few times as well, landing him rookie of the year honours for his first season of racing.

The next youngest racer in his circuit is 19-years-old and some competitors have been racing longer than he’s been alive — but Pinsonneault stays humble.

“I don't think I've been treated any differently because of my age,” remarked Pinsonneault. “You just really have to make sure you're at the shop all the time working just as hard as anyone else would work, right.”

The young racer has a team and full slate of sponsors behind him. A third generation racer, Pinsonneault has a family racing legacy. His grandfather Alec Pinsonneault ran the number 93 car in the ASA circuit, and his dad ran number 39.

“My dad was decent,” said Chase’s father, Alan. “But I think [Chase] is probably better than both of us in his first year.”

Chase drives the number 22 car, the number chosen to mark the year he started racing.

Next season, Pinsonneault is going to drive a late model car, which is faster by about two-and-a-half seconds per lap and is far more powerful.

Pinsonneault ultimately wants to make a career of it.

His father admits watching him race is nerve wracking, but he’s not nervous about the safety of the sport, he just wants to see him race well, get the on-track experience and have fun.

“We want to win races and we want to win championships and all that stuff it comes with it, but that'll take care of itself in the end. Just get out there and be as fast as you can every week and bring it home in one piece,” said Alan Pinsonneault.

Chase Pinsonneault is in grade 11 at Belle River District High School. He told CTV News Windsor his budding racing career isn’t a big talking point at school, where he focuses on his math and science studies, calling himself “a normal kid.”

He loves hockey and golf but admits he’d give it all up for a shot at being a professional race car driver.

“Just there's really no way to quantify how much I like it,” said Pinsonneault. “It's definitely worth it, I wouldn't have it any other way.”