At a mere age 8, Bismarck has its own champion.

Crist Pittenger has been racing go-carts since he was 4 and has racked up six first place trophies just this year. The Pittengers travel every other weekend to places like Jamestown, Glendin, Minn., and Aberdeen, S.D., to race and spend time with their racing friends.

Crist started racing after his dad introduced him to it when he was younger. After watching the races, Crist discov-ered what he loved to do.

"He grew up around going to the races," Tim Pittenger, Crist's dad, said. "He started to really like it."

Despite the number of races Crist has won, he still acts like a typical, shy 8-year-old. He's modest about his racing and when asked about it he replied, for the most part, in one word answers.

During the races, parents in the crowd are often nervous.

"I don't want to see a crash," said Jennifer Pittenger, Crist's mom. "Injuries are my biggest worry."

While there will be an accident every now and then, they usually don't result in any serious injuries.

"It's a lot safer than you think," Jennifer Pittenger said.

Nerves aside, Crist's parents love that he races.

"I get so excited," his mom said. "I enjoy watching him out there."

Tim Pittenger agrees.

"I like seeing him getting to do stuff that I didn't get to do," he said.

When asking a kid about what sports they play, racing go-carts probably isn't a very common response.

"It's something different that most kids don't get the chance to do," Jennifer Pittenger said.

Not only do the kids that race enjoy it, but parents of participating racers like what their kids take away from the sport.

"He's made a lot of friends," his mom said.

Along with friends, confidence and accomplishment are something he achieves in racing, his dad says.

When asked what he likes most about racing, Crist has one word for it: winning.

Along with being successful in racing, he also plays soccer, football and basketball.

When Crist's younger brother Cade, 3, is old enough to race, he plans on showing him how it's done. The family hopes by this time Bismarck will have a go-cart track of its own.

But for now, Cade watches and admires his older brother, Crist the go-cart champion.

(Macy Egeland is a student at Century High School. She can be reached at macy.egeland@bismarcktribune.com.)