Quest for Grand National Glory

SHAWANO, Wisc. - Cedar Hill's own Quinton "Q" Dawn will be racing in the ROTAX Grand Nationals this week (Sept 9th -13th). Determined to claim his place in victory lane, Quinton continues on the long journey that has led to this important race week. His inclusion in this highly competitive event was earned with tons of hard work, dedication and plenty of love and support from his father Jimmy Dawn Sr. This week is the biggest kart racing week of the season and one that has been Q's focused on for a long time.

The father and son recently shared some of their preparations for the race week and the 1150 mile trip from the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) area to Wisconsin.

(Interview with Jimmy Dawn)
Q. Is Q, excited about Nationals?

A. Very. he is looking forward to this one more than all others in the past.

Q. What does he see as challenges as he goes into the race?

A. He's never raced there before and the biggest challenge will be getting the track down as fast as possible.

Q. Does he have any rivals going into the race?

A. There some racers that he competed with in the races to get to the nationals that he really wants to do well against.

Q. Can you describe what winning the Grand Nationals will mean to Q and his racing future in 10 words or less?

A. Well, winning the Grand Nationals gets your name out there on the national scene and will hopefully make names like Louis Hamilton notice you.





(Interview with Quinton Dawn)
Q. Are you excited about Grand Nationals?

A. Yes, I am very excited about this year's Grand Nationals, the track looks amazing and the competition will be fierce.

Q. What do you see as challenges as you go into the race?

A. The biggest challenges are getting the track down as fast as possible and then to working with the team fine tune the kart to get every ounce of speed out of it that we can.

Q. Who is your competition?

A. Mainly the large funded teams such as MRP BIREL, and SSC RACING. However there are also smaller teams which are always at 110% and up front as well.

Q. Do you have any rivals going into the race?

A. Yes, a few drivers in which I ran against to qualify for the Grand Nationals will also be there, it would be another achievement for me to finish ahead of my close competitors.

Q. Can you describe what winning the race will mean to you in 10 words or less?

A. ROTAX Immortality. A large step in forwarding my racing career.

Q. What goes into learning the track?

A. To begin, as a driver I must know the track details in and out before you even arrive to the track. This helps the process of learning the track go much faster and allows me to have more confidence when I’m in the drivers seat going around the track at high rates of speed. And it is also important to note any elevation changes the track contains, in order help predict “blind corners”. As I get the track down and gradually go faster I work closely with my dad and the team to help determine our situation as far as track setup.

Q. How long does it you to "get a track down" enough to not only race and place but win?

A. Once, I drive the track for the first time usually by the end of the first day of practice (about 2hrs), we should be close to almost going 100% and my knowledge of the track should be almost perfect. By the end of the second day we must be fine tuning the kart looking for those extra tenths of a second that can mean the difference between qualifying 1st or 15th. By day three it is simply “ALL OUT” try to go as fast as possible in order gauge yourself with the competition and to ensure you have the best possible setup for the upcoming qualifying session and races.

Q. Are there any new strategies that you guys are hoping to employ this year that you can share with fans?

A. At the race (and most races) fans can purchase “pit passes” which allows them to go directly into the pit lane with the drivers and teams competing. Many times people have simple questions or want to know bits of info about many aspects of karting world, and with this direct access to the teams and drivers it makes for a very interesting day (or weekend) at the track for the fans.

Q. Q, do you have any special rituals that you go through as you prepare for each race?

A. My rituals are just to simply relax and get my mind focused on the race (specifically, the start as it is the first and the most gut wrenching part of the entire race). Then I just close the visor on my helmet, have a quick prayer and wait for the signal to roll off the grid.

Q. What is your favorite soda?

A. About 95% of my time at the track I really prefer not to have any soda. My preferred drink at the track is Gatorade ™ (and sometimes energy drinks such as Red Bull ™ and Sobe Adrenaline Rush ™ and others) as it does the best job of keeping me hydrated not only while walking around in the heat but mostly while im working hard driving the kart with my driving suit, helmet, neck brace, shoes and gloves on.

Q. What's your favorite food?

A. For some reason (probably adrenaline) I don’t usually have any appetite at the track although sometimes I will have something small, such as bag of beef jerky. However when the day is over I like to hang out with my dad and fellow drivers and pig out. My favorite foods are the shrimp pasta (from Red Lobster ™) and beef enchiladas (from On the Border ™ Mexican restaurant).














The USA International Raceway is 30 feet wide and over a mile long, and the fifth-mile oval has 35 foot corners and a six foot elevation change from one side of the track to the other. The land where the track sits has gentle slopes and some severe elevation changes like a 20 foot and a 15 foot ravine, which should provide several challenges for all of the racers this week. The weather outlook is sunny and cool, with highs in the mid to lower 70's each day and only a slight chance for showers on Thursday and Saturday so the fans should see some fantastic races.

Good luck, Q! We are all pulling for you, back home in the DF-dub. Bring home the checkered flag!!