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Thirteen-Year-Old Worsham Living Out Dreams in Rookie Bombers Season at Five Flags

By Chuck Corder

Ryan Worsham must love falling asleep each night.

His dreams seem to keep coming true every day.

It’d be incorrect to call them childhood dreams because at just 13, Worsham is still a kid.

But after many children and teenagers Worsham’s age line up Friday at Five Flags Speedway for the annual bicycle races, Worsham will be lining up his No. 7 Bomber for a ninth feature in this his rookie season.

In eight races, the Niceville native has posted four podium finishes — a pair of runner-ups and a pair of thirds — and finished outside of the top-10 just once.

“I didn’t think (success) would come this fast,� admitted Worsham, who raced motorcycles from ages 6 to 8 and then go-karts from 8 to 12. “At first, I was a little nervous running a big car. But I got over it after the first race. It’s a lot easier than I thought it would be.�

He hopes the asphalt oval continues to be free of any major bumps when the Bombers, Super Stocks, Modifieds and Sportsmen return Friday to Pensacola’s high banks.

Gates open at 5 p.m. and admission is as follows: $10 adults; $8 seniors, military, students; $5 children 6-11; free for kids 5-under.

Just a year ago, the Rocky Bayou seventh-grader was one of those young fans in the stands watching the Friday night warriors swap paint at Five Flags.

He even got a chance to rub shoulders with one of his racing idols at the Snowball Derby last December. Worsham walked into Kyle Busch’s trailer and picked the Sprint Cup star’s brain for a few minutes.

“He talked to me about what it takes to be successful,� he beamed. “It was a great experience. I never thought I’d get that chance. His hauler was pretty nice.�

Worsham’s results have been pretty nice this season.

After coming home in a respectable eighth in his Five Flags debut in March, Worsham reeled off five consecutive top-fives.

It hasn’t been clear sailing completely for the young man, though. In one of his first races, he got turned into the wall.

“I tore it up real good,� Worsham said. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be, but it scared the crap outta me.�

His father, Richard Worsham, was just glad it happened so quickly into the year.

“It was good to get it outta his blood,� the elder Worsham said.

Before his son earned his first stripes at Five Flags, Richard Worsham already knew his way around the famed half-mile. He won a track title inside a Modified in 2002.

“Everyone out there has been super to Ryan. We’ve had no issues with other drivers,� Richard Worsham said. “There has been a lotta hard-nosed racing, but we really have enjoyed ourselves.�

The Worshams have had plenty of reasons to rejoice in recent years.

Ryan was one of the top go-kart racers in the nation the last few years, ranking inside the top-10 out of more than 5,800 drivers.

Richard Worsham is convinced the seasoning Ryan gained in go-karts is a big factor to his breakout Bombers season.

“With go-kart racing comes a lotta tire work,� Richard Worsham said. “With the Bomber cars, you can’t do a lot to ’em, so it comes down to tires. I’ve learned we can run a set of right side tires for two weeks before we need to change them.�

Plus, instinctively, the father-son combination provides an unbreakable bond that serves the No. 7 team well.

“Ryan got very comfortable with me through go-kart racing and the changes I made,� Richard Worsham said. “But a picky racecar driver is what you want — somebody that can come in and tell you what they like.

“When I raced, I drove by the seat of my pants. Nowadays, it’s a refined sport — the tools and equipment. Kids are very particular about what they want to drive. It’s not easy to get him where I want, but we manage to get him there.�

As long as Ryan Worsham keeps dreaming big, the kid seems destined to get there and anywhere else he envisions.

“I really believe if we keep working at it, we’ll get a win this year,� Richard Worsham said. “Who knows? If everything keeps going like it this, maybe me and him will be up in North Carolina racing in a few years. My problem is I got more talent than I got money.�

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