While growing up, Trey Dean spent many weekends watching his father, Michael, and his grandfather, Roy, race at Summit Motorsports Park.

Between rounds, Trey sat in his father’s race car with his helmet on, or sat in the passenger’s seat while his father drove around the pit area. The rumble of the engine and the roar of the exhaust were especially appealing to him.

As time went on, Trey began spending time in the garage while his father and grandfather were working on their race cars. He was intrigued by how they would take something apart and put it back together in a way that made it better than ever.

Then, a significant moment in Trey’s life came when he was seven years old, and he saw a junior dragster while attending the Cornwell Tools Night Under Fire at Summit Motorsports Park with his family. He loved the junior dragster so much, that he looked at his father and told him that he would stop spending so much time on his Xbox if he bought him a junior dragster.

His father agreed, purchased a junior dragster and turned his focus to helping Trey drive his new junior dragster after he turned eight years old.

His father also helped him mentally prepare for the sport by telling him that not all racers are successful as soon as they start, and to take things one step at a time.

That was three years ago, and the advice was good, as Trey, who is now a sixth-grader and plays football for Colonel Crawford School in Crestline, Ohio, has stood out and shined, but especially in 2023.

He went rounds, and he won races, but what meant even more to him is that he had the full support of his family, including his parents, Michael and Lauren, stepparents, Amanda and Mark, brother Tyson, stepbrother Colton, stepsister, Micayla, grandparents, Roy and Cathy as well as his fellow racers and friends.

They had faith in him, which helped him have faith in himself.

So when he was put to the test, he did his best, and that helped him soar to the 2023 Bear Motorsports Intermediate Junior Dragster presented by Wiseco championship.

Trey was honored among his fellow racers at the 50th Annual Edelbrock Banquet of Champions presented by Lincoln Electric on Jan. 28, 2024 at Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio.

— By Mary Lendzion, Summit Motorsports Park Media and Public Relations