Junior Kamera McDonald seems like any other Sky Dancer one might meet in the hallway, but in reality she does much more than one might expect. When she isn’t at a dance rehearsal or a football game on Friday night, McDonald is racing cars around a track at top speeds.
While being on the drill team is extremely fun, it can be very time consuming and requires a lot of energy – just like any activity. The drill team practices at least six hours each week, with race season lasting from March to the end of October. Last year, she raced over 55 races, racing every Friday and Saturday night until school started which only allowed for Saturday night races due to football game performances.
“Once I started to race it was obvious that I could hold my own in a male dominated sport and so that pushed me to become better each race,” explained McDonald, “Racing is a very unique and diverse sport and that’s what I love about it. Everyone in the racing community comes together to help out anyone and everyone.”
Her first car was received at the age of eight. She began racing because her dad and cousins raced and as she grew up watching them she very quickly wanted to be like them. Her car currently has many bright colors that are extremely eye-catching, sporting the number 62 with a K following to represent her name and the phrase, This Girl is on Fire, across the back.
“This year I raced at least once a week and I enjoyed learning new things about my car and also getting to race with my best friend,” said McDonald.
McDonald has won many awards such as the 2016 National Rookie of the Year in Southern Sport-modified by the International Motor Contest Association. She was the youngest person to have received the award, as well as being the second girl to ever win it.
She began dancing at the age of three and enjoyed the fact that she could do it with her friends.The balance between racing and dancing is something McDonald is learning. She has to work two different schedules while still trying to commit to both.
“Being a Sky Dancer and a racer can be tough. They are both extreme polar opposites of each other that both take a huge time commitment and dedication,” explained McDonald. “Both schedules over lap every once and a while but when it comes to the end of it I have only two years left to be a Sky Dancer and I have a whole lifetime to make laps around the track.”