Photo : Getty Images driver , he could have said no , do something else , but he understood that was my dream , my destiny to be a race car driver . He was onboard as well as the rest of my family and without them I don ’ t know if I would be where I am at today . Being diagnosed with autism , my parents helped me a lot throughout my life . I was a shy kid who never really talked a lot , never really wanted to socialize with anyone . So , my parents helped teach me the basics of communication and social interaction . They also helped me learn how to meet and greet someone , what topics to talk about , knowing more about a person , even knowing how to talk to girls every which way . They taught me all of that and it has helped me get through life where I can show my personality a lot more than before .
Q : How does it feel being a mentor and knowing you are an inspiration to people with autism ?
A : It feels amazing . It feels great that I can make an impact that has less to do with racing but more about being a champion in people ’ s lives . And so , anything that I could do to give them any sort of positivity , advice , etc . I will absolutely help in any way I can and I enjoy doing that .
Q : What ’ s next for you ?
A : Now that I am racing the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series , I want to win races and win a championship in the series and see where that takes me from there . Whether it ’ s at the NASCAR Xfinity Series level or the very top which is the NASCAR Cup Series . That ’ s what I want to accomplish .
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