Skylar Gee - National Youth Panel Nominee
Shari Narine
Cando Contributor
It’s all about the racetrack for Skylar Gee. And is there any wonder? Both his father and his grandfather were race car drivers.
The member of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation, Gee celebrated his 19th birthday this past March at the racetrack in Mesquite, Texas. He put in one of his most impressive runs during the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series on opening night. To cap it off, he took the Hard Charger of the Night award as he moved up 14 positions.
And the successes continued when in July he became the second Canadian driver to win with the Lucas Oil ASCS finding success at the NAPA Grizzly Nationals at Gallatin Speedway, in Montana.
It’s no surprise, then, that Gee’s future career goal is to establish a professional team to employ himself and others to race with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series.
Gee splits his time calling Leduc and Dallas, Texas, home. In Leduc, his parents, Tim Gee and Ruth Chambers-Gee, operate Gee & Gee Racing Inc.
Gee was nominated to Cando’s National Youth Panel by his aunt, Elaine Chambers.
“It feels pretty cool. It’s something I wasn’t sure I would be nominated for,” said Gee.
But Chambers, who has followed Gee’s racing career as a fan at the track, thinks her nephew is a perfect fit.
“He is a young entrepreneur who wanted to follow his dream,” said Chambers. “He can offer other youth to follow your dreams and you can become what you want to do.”
Gee’s plan was to pursue racing as soon as he graduated from school. He even tried to quit school, recalled Chambers, but he wasn’t allowed to. Instead, he applied himself and finished high school early.
His goal-oriented and entrepreneur spirit showed through right away as in January 2017, he started getting his car and equipment ready and looking for sponsorship. Two months later, just before his 17thbirthday, he and a co-worker hit the road in a Toader and 40-foot long trailer traveling throughout the United States racing in the ASCS National Tour. He put on over 50,000 miles the first year and won Rookie of the Year, finishing eighth. He was the youngest racer.
“Pretty amazing to go by himself out into the racing world,” said Chambers.
Gee wants to bring this experience to his position on the youth panel.
“I’m sure I can bring a few things to the table with places I’ve been,” he said.
