Marco Kacic logs a lot of virtual time, behind the wheel of a racing game.
“It’s a program called iRacing,” said Kacic.
Kacic loves auto racing, even though he’s not old enough to legally drive on the road.
“Yeah, no, not yet,” he said.
But that hasn’t slowed the West Kelowna teenager from reaching speeds of up to 230 kilometres an hour on race tracks across the country.
The 15-year-old competes in Canada’s F1600 open-wheel race car series.
“We were fourth in overall points, first place in rookie points,” said Kacic. “I had I think two pole positions and three fastest laps set.”
However, Marco’s fast track to success hit a bump in the road when Team Marco Kacic Racing ran out of funding.
“The day I had to tell him we could not go racing at the next race, it was honestly one of the toughest days of my life,” said Marco’s dad, Danny Kacic.
In auto racing, money is everything. And for a season in Formula 1600 that means “realistically about $200,000 Canadian,” said Danny Kacic.
For now, Kacic’s life in the fast lane has hit a virtual wall, unless some sponsors step up and invest in Kacic’s racing future.
“In racing terminology, we need a ride,” said Danny Kacic.
Meanwhile, the 15-year-old phenom is hoping to get back in the driver’s seat and take the next step in his racing career.
“A step up is definitely going to be the price tag,” said Marco Kacic. “Every time you go up, it’s going to increase.”
For more about Marco Kacic, click here to visit his racing website.
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