Florida OcalaRacer Profile: Kody Fisher Posted:5/6/2010 Racer Profile: Kody Fisher by BJ Cavin- Ocala Speedway Media OCALA, FL- One of the mainstays of the Gladiator Division at Ocala Speedway is an unassuming young man by the name of Kody Fisher. At 13 years old he has quite a while before he can legally go out and drive a car on the streets, but on the clay at Ocala Speedway he has traveled miles, both literally and figuratively. And it has been a slow trip, as Kody has taken his time, learned some lessons, and honed his skills. Kody got his first taste of racing at 10 years of age, speeding around in a go kart but feeling a bit isolated in the process. After all, Kody was the only person in his age group at the track and therefore was forced to compete with others who were not quite his peers, thus awarding him a victory for each outing when in Kody's eyes it was too automatic. The racing was fun, but the victories were very hollow ones. Being from a racing family it was only natural that this 7th grader at Howard Middle School would end up in a real race car at Ocala Speedway on Friday nights, but it never was a matter of someone handing him the keys and allowing him to have at it. Kody had to help his dad to build the car and to maintain it, and when something breaks or an accident causes damage, Kody must be a part of the fix as well. And the black number 83 machine is now a regular fixture at the track as Kody enjoys his second season of competition, and he is thankful for the time spent working on the car with his dad, and for the support that his family gives to his efforts. So many young racers try to do too much too fast and end up either wrecking the car, or they become the source for constant yellow flags as they spin out from driving over their skill level. Kody's family would have none of that, and Kody was taught to begin slow and learn, thus gaining valuable experience with each lap and race. Even if he finished dead last, the goal was to finish and then work forward from there. That process became the foundation for Kody's consistency on the track, and that consistency earned him the 2009 Rookie of the Year award for the Gladiator Division, as he finished the season in third place. Currently in 2010, Kody Fisher sits in third place, just 11 points shy of the points leader, Steven Johnson, and four points behind Devin Walker, who is currently holding down the second spot. Not bad for a kid who is in his second season of racing, and even though he has gained much experience and improved his skills since last season, Kody admits that on race night he still feels nervous about getting into the car and taking on the competition. And that is a good thing, because if Kody were not nervous then his family would have great cause to worry. And when it comes to the Fishers, family is the key. Kody is supported, guided, and nurtured, by his parents, plus the extended family as well. The family support system is the mortar that builds the foundation for success, and success is found in more places than on the clay at Ocala Speedway. Kody is an honor student at Howard Middle School, and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society. And while one of his goals in adulthood is to race, he also wants to earn a degree in engineering as well. And while Kody is an exemplary student, he also is very involved in his Boy Scout troop. Kody's dad is also involved in scouting, which affords them father and son time outside of the race shop, and helps Kody toward his goal of one day earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Fans watching from the grandstands on Friday nights might not know Kody Fisher from any other youngster who is learning the ropes in Ocala's Gladiator Division, but there is a lot more there than a kid strapped into a race car. Whether he is racing or not, Kody deserves credit for being an exceptionally talented young man, and his family deserves the same credit for teaching him to be that way. So with Kody in the top three in the 2010 Gladiator Division points race, the short term goal is to keep racing and keep getting better at it. Kody says that somewhere down the road he will make a move into a higher division at Ocala and ramp up the challenge a little, then move on from there. Again, slow and careful is the way to go, and at just 13 Kody Fisher has plenty of time to get to where he wants to go.