Gloucester teen racing towards his dreams
GLOUCESTER, Va. — Not just any average 13 year old can say they have driven a car, much less driven one legally with their family cheering them on–but Gloucester teen Atley Wiese is able to do just that. Since 2018, Atley has been developing his skill and experience in the sport of auto racing, all before he has even earned a driver’s license or started high school.
Racing has been a huge part of Atley’s life since he was just a toddler watching the sport. These days he is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the action which he enjoyed as a spectator for so many years. Atley began developing his skills by first racing karts in his beginning three years as a driver and has now progressed to racing a Bandolero car as a stepping stone on his way to more traditional racing as he grows in his sport.
When he thinks about the future, Atley shares, “I want to move up into bigger, faster cars and eventually get to the NASCAR Cup Series.”
Being behind the wheel is not the only draw when it comes to racing for Atley, he also spends plenty of time behind the microphone as a broadcaster. Right now he enjoys broadcasting iRacing for his company, Intensity Broadcasting, and added platforms and also hopes to grow in that field and consider a career as a professional broadcaster. “I would love to be a part of NASCAR both on and off the track and become a professional broadcaster that gets to call all the action as well,” he says.
His love of the sport might have started with craving the speed and adrenaline from being behind the wheel, but Atley has learned that the friendships he has made along the way are just as important. Being a part of a team has been a benefit for Atley not just now but is also what matters as he matures and gains new life opportunities. Atley says, “Everyone’s role is extremely important. I’ve learned that preparation, communication and trust are all very important parts of working together as a team.”
Knowing how to be a team player has really paid off for Atley recently. Just this racing season he has joined the Dillon Spain Motorsports race team where he is able to be strongly supported as a young driver. The support is working its magic as Atley just broke a track record at Langley Speedway. On Saturday April 30th he ran the fastest lap ever recorded during qualifying in a Bandolero. “Atley is a fast learner and responds well to input on how to improve on the track. He has come so far in a short time since we started working together,” says Dillon Spain.
Atley has faced his fair share of challenges along the way as he has grown as a driver. Those challenges are not just related to building his capacity and experience racing, but he also has to frequently take safety into consideration. One of those challenges is looming ahead during the summer months. “A unique challenge to racing in the summer is that the track temperature can exceed 150 degrees and it gets 120 degrees and above inside my car. To manage and prepare for that I begin hydrating a day or two before a race,” says Atley.
Since beginning his journey in auto racing, Atley has absorbed the encouragement of those around him with expertise in the sport. Atley shares, “A great piece of advice I was given was to try to maintain composure, even if something doesn’t go my way. Although I may be in the car alone, I try to remember that others are watching and my own individual actions can impact others. Racing incidents will happen and although it may result in not finishing the race how you’d like, it’s important to know it’s part of the sport and to be forgiving.”
One of the best suggestions Atley has been given over the past few years in his sport, is not just worthwhile behind the wheel, but really in every facet of life. “Always be kind, because you never know what someone else is going through,” he says, “Treating others how I would want them to treat me is the mentality I try to keep.”
His parents, Dayton and Cassie, are always eager to support Atley and encourage him as he continues to develop. “Atley is self-motivated, but has grown a lot because of his willingness to listen and accept guidance. He’s persevered through challenging situations, such as traveling to new tracks and being involved in incidents and has learned valuable lessons each time. No matter what he ends up doing in the future, my hope is that he will be happy, never lose his enthusiasm or eagerness for learning, and that he will be able to share his passion and knowledge with others,” says his mom, Cassie.
While much of his time is spent practicing, when he is off the track and away from the mic Atley enjoys many other interests. He completes his schooling online and enjoys gaming along with watching and keeping up with other sports and stats for his favorite teams. He loves his time with his family and dog and like a typical teenage boy he can certainly work up an appetite and considers himself to be quite the foodie.
Without the support of his local community sponsors, Atley and his family know that chasing his dream would not be possible. The Wiese family shares their celebrations and race results and appreciation of sponsorship through a variety of social media platforms and websites. To follow Atley’s racing journey or support his success with a merchandise purchase, visit atleywieseracing.com and follow Atley Wiese Racing on Facebook and/or Instagram.
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