Growing up in the fast lane

Valley Life editor

Monica Bologna is still at least two years away from getting her driver's license -- but try telling that to the competitors at North Star Speedway as the 14-year-old zips around the track in her lightning stock racecar.

Bologna is Alaska's youngest female driver, and she has grown up around the track for much of her life. The Department of Motorized Vehicles probably won't give her a driver's license based solely on her points standings, but the track is where she's learning to drive.

"I don't even have my permit yet," Bologna said. "I learned how to drive a stick shift on the racetrack."

Last year, she climbed into her brother's car for the first time and took a few laps during training at Capitol Speedway.

A couple laps into the session, she started sliding and then overcorrected, sending the car straight into the wall, totaling the car and sending chills down the spines of her family members.

"That's a hard thing for a father to watch," said Butch Bologna, Monica's father. "It scared me."

It scared Monica Bologna, too, but not enough to keep her away from racing. If anything, it only helped her spread the message that people should wear seat belts.

"If I didn't jump back into the car then, I never would have," she said. "When I first got out of the car after the crash, I saw the car and realized that I never would have crawled out if I wasn't wearing my seat belt when I crashed."

Following that potentially tragic crash, Bologna decided she wanted to start helping others realize the importance of safety behind the wheel.

After seeing some of the Alaska State Troopers' "Click It or Ticket" spots on local television, Bologna decided to get involved herself.

"She told me she wanted to talk to the troopers and help them get the message out," Butch Bologna said. "I thought it was a great idea."

Since then, Monica Bologna has been passing out key chains, pens and carabiners with the "Click It or Ticket" slogan on them. She has talked to groups of kids at different events, all while telling them to wear their seat belts while in vehicles.

"Maybe kids will listen to me because I'm still just a girl, instead of listening to an adult," Bologna said. "If they won't listen to a parent, a teacher or a trooper, maybe they will listen to me as a role model. That's why I decided to get involved. The troopers thought it was a great idea, too."

This year, Bologna is racing in her first season at North Star Speedway. Competing on the track has allowed Bologna the exposure to spread her message. Bologna has talked to other kids during autograph sessions at North Star Speedway, and she said she might talk to classes when school starts back up in the fall. While carrying a message of safety, Bologna is still competitive on the track.

"Each day I'm getting better and better. It's hard, but I'm getting better," Bologna said. "I've got a lot to learn."

Bologna's brother, 17-year-old Justin, is in his second year of racing in the thunder stock division at North Star Speedway. Butch Bologna said he couldn't handle having his kids racing against each other.

"No way," he said which a chuckle. "It's stressful enough watching my two kids race. There's no way I could watch them race against each other. I'm proud of them both."