WATERLOO, Ill. — Every parent wants to see their kids chase their dreams, but a Metro East family says a fire at the family business dropped a red flag on their daughter's racing career.
If you take one look at 11-year-old “Mighty” Quinn Ahrens you can tell she has one thing on her mind.
“Going fast,” said Quinn Ahrens. “It’s exciting, and it’s really fun.”
Ahrens first got behind the wheel and participated in her first race when she was six.
“Competing is something that I enjoy a lot,” said Ahrens.
Quinn’s talent has taken her across the country.
“Racing is a true family sport,” said Patrick Ahrens. “We spend our whole weekend Friday through Sunday at the tracks together. We’ve been to Daytona three times, Charlotte Motor Speedway three times, Circuit of the Americas.”
“How many races have you won,” asked 5 On Your Side reporter Holden Kurwicki.
“I can’t really count at this point,” said Quinn Ahrens. “It’s been a couple.”
However, her championship dreams were recently brought to a halt by a fire at her father’s screen-printing business.
“Before I could get to the scene it had spread into the shop and it was pretty much a total loss as for the equipment and most of the building,” said Patrick Ahrens.
In the blink of an eye, it appeared that Quinn’s championship dreams had gone up in smoke.
“I was upset,” said Quinn Ahrens. “You wouldn’t think that something like that would happen ever. Just to wake up and that be the case is really upsetting.”
A GoFundMe set up to help get the Mighty Quinn back on the fast track has already raised more than $5,500, but she still needs your support to get across the finish line and reach her $7,500 goal.
“We have no idea where this will go,” said Patrick Ahrens. “Obviously racing is an expensive sport.”
“I know that the racing community will help us to get back where we were,” said Quinn Ahrens.
You can find the GoFundMe for "Mighty Quinn" here.