Girl, 9, to race snowmobiles in ‘Winter X’

JAY – Kaitlyn Smith doesn’t mind mixing it up with the boys on her snowmobile. After all, racing is already in her blood. She wears the late NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt’s No. 3.

At the tender age of 9, Smith is ready to make her inaugural appearance at the Winter X-Games in Aspen, Colo.

She was asked by the Rock Maple Racing Circuit to represent her age group this weekend. Her father said young racers from all over the United States and Canada will be there.

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

Most of her immediate family is 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.

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. “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 suffered a bruise but was racing again that same afternoon.

Smith said that a lot of this competitive nature was inspired by her idol, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.

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