A Jay 9-year-old is in Colorado to compete in the Winter

X-Games this weekend.
By Eric Horn
Special to the Sun Journal

JAY- Kaitlyn Smith is a tough, no-nonsense racer who is not afraid to mix it up with the guys. She also happens to be 9 years old.

The Rock Maple Racing Circuit has asked Kaitlyn to represent her age group at this year’s Winter X-Games in Aspen, Colo. Scheduled for this weekend, the X-Games draws comparisons to another big-time sporting event that has Mainers buzzing.

“The X-Games are to snowmobiling what the Super Bowl is to football,” said Ken Smith, Kaitlyn’s dad.

“Kids from all over the U.S. and Canada will be there.”

Ken and his wife, Andrea, are two of 10 family members who travel throughout New England to support the fourth-grader when she races.

Kaitlyn gets a lot of encouragement. Last weekend the crew – including her mother and stepfather, Tara and Tim Gallagher, two grandparents and four brothers and sisters – went to Colebrook, N.H., to cheer Kaitlyn to four first-place finishes. Most are also flying to Colorado for Friday’s big event.

Those who can’t go, as well as the rest of her New England fans, will be able to watch competition Jan. 24-27 on ESPN.

The straight-A student with attitude will have to miss a little school in order to make Friday’s contests. Even so, she does not think her teacher at Jay Elementary School, Donna Labbe, will let her fall behind. “She cheers me on and wishes me good luck and helps me keep up,” Kaitlyn said.

The recognition is well-earned. In Kaitlyn’s second season racing in Rock Maple’s 6-to-9-year-old division, she has never finished lower than sixth. A typical winter weekend has her in multiple races with 20 to 100 competitors in each.

Despite the success, winning does not come easily for Kaitlyn. “It’s a lot tougher than it seems,” she said.

She described a frightening accident at a race in which she fell off her sled and another racer’s ski pushed up under her protective back plate.

“She had a bit of a bruise,” said Andrea, “but she was back racing that same afternoon.”

Kaitlyn says that a lot of this competitive nature was inspired by her idol, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. She wears Earnhardt’s number 3 as a tribute to the driver famous for his will to win.

“When we get time we’re going to paint my room red, green and black,” the colors of Earnhardt’s car, Kaitlyn said.

Robyn Smith, Kaitlyn’s older brother, is also a successful racer in two of Rock Maple’s upper junior divisions. He’ll be ready with pointers when his sister moves from her ZR 120 Arctic Cat to a full-sized sled next season.

Kaitlyn already has 11 sponsors. With an appearance in the X-Games, she’s hoping for more next season.

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