Good Day Atlanta viewer information: March 23, 2021
Georgia youth put the pedal to the metal:
Ask 13-year-old Seth Christensen what he likes about auto racing, and you’ll get a quick and honest answer.
"I like to beat other people," he says. "I’m very competitive."
Christensen and his younger brother Lane are competitors in Quarter Midget racing, which is essentially the "Little League" of auto racing. The sport, sanctioned by the United States Auto Club, features kids from 5 to 16 years old competing in more than a dozen classes.
"It's basically kind of like a go-kart with a roll cage, and they're real race cars," says Metro Atlanta Quarter Midget Association president David Gregory. "So, it's an opportunity for kids to get their foot in the door or be introduced to actual racing opportunities."
Locally, the sport is run by a pair of racing clubs; the Metro Atlanta Quarter Midget Association is based in Braselton, and the North Georgia Quarter Midget Association is based at the Bill Thomas Raceway in Cumming. And while it’s the kids who sit behind the wheel, parents say the sport is very much a family activity.
"Usually, it's one of the parents helping be the crew chief," says Gregory. "And the other parents are usually in the scoring tower or helping do things that are on the track. So, the whole family's involved."
NASCAR champs like Joey Logano got their start racing Quarter Midgets; Logano, in fact, raced on the track in Cumming. Following in his well-worn tire tracks, the young racers here in North Georgia know that small cars can lead to big things.
"I started when I was four," says 9-year-old Levi Morrow, "and I soon as I got behind that wheel I knew where I was supposed to be."
For more information on the local racing clubs, follow these links:
Providence Elementary School put on a fundraiser to help one of its students:
Peyton "PJo" Walker is a third-grader at Providence Elementary School in Temple, Georgia. He was diagnosed with a type of cancer called Neuroblastoma. Students and staff at the school helped raise money for PJo and his family. As a result, the assistant principal had his legs waxed, the school's principal was slimed, and PJo chopped 12 inches of his former teacher's hair.
Angie Boy gives tips for talking to your children about cyberbullying:
Angie Boy is the program manager at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Stephanie V. Blank Center for Safe and Healthy Children. She gave us talked about what cyberbullying is, the warning signs, and how to protect your children from it.
Warning Signs of Cyberbullying:
- Spending a lot less time on screens
- Displaying emotional responses when using devices
- Hiding their screens when others are around
- Not wanting to talk about their online activity
- Avoiding social situations
Protecting Kids from Cyberbullying:
- Talk openly about online activity and monitoring
- Know your child’s usernames and passwords
- Establish and enforce rules for online activity
- Keep up with trends, apps, gaming platforms, and parental controls
Pet of the day from FurKids: For more information on how you can adopt today's pet click here.
Ally Lynn discusses the latest tragedy for Bobby Brown's family: After his son Bobbi Brown Jr.'s drug-related death last fall, it is now reported that police are opening a criminal investigation in the case. For more information on Ally Lynn visit her on Instagram @heyallylynn .