City College student Charlie Butcher lives life in the fast lane, literally.

The 19-year-old freshman began racing at age 12, and last year he won the United States Auto Club Junior Focus Midgets Series with four wins and 14 top fives.

Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Butcher started racing go-karts at an early age and has worked his way up to sprint cars. He’s now in his seventh year of full-time racing.

“There’s just nothing like it, I’ve played every other sport, and had only somewhat of a good time,” Butcher said. “The competition is amazing here, and it’s just perfect cars with drivers trying to perfect them, it’s a blast. ”

Butcher is one of many athletes here who pursues sports outside of the athletics provided at City College. He’s determined to turn his talent in racing into a future some day, and is poised to earn an automotive and business degree.

“I’d like to be involved in racing somehow, that’s my main goal,” Butcher said as he leaned on his #96K Ventura Racing Association sprint car. “If I was given the opportunity, I wouldn’t mind trying an Indy car or even sports car racing.”

He continues to race his go-kart on the same weekends that he races his sprint car in Ventura.

“It’s funny, we went from spending $2,000 the whole year on his go-kart to now spending that much a weekend on his sprint car now,” Charlie’s Dad Frank Butcher said.

Like NASCAR or Indy car racing, sprint car racing is a dangerous sport. Butcher accepts the risks that come along with his sport, and has had his moments in serious danger even this past year.

While coming out of turn four at Ventura raceway, he had one bad flip over, and methanol started leaking out all over him and his car. Methanol is a type of racing fuel for sprint cars, and when it’s on fire, it’s unable to be seen.

“I didn’t have to go to the hospital after that, but the next day I had some back pain,” he said. “I got my bell rung pretty good from it, though.”

Despite the crash, Butcher doesn’t let the threat of getting hurt take him away from the sport he loves.

“Some things still scare me, if I see a car spin out ahead or something like that, obviously it’ll jump me for a bit. That’s the biggest thing I’m getting past,” Butcher said. “Every race you’re going to have some mistake, but it’s who can best overcome that who’ll be the winner. ”

Frank Butcher has been watching his son race for years, and admits that he still gets a bit concerned when seeing Charlie fly around the turns.

“I love to watch him race, although I have to admit it makes me a nervous Nellie,” he said.

Butcher races his sprint car at Ventura Raceway every Saturday. He raced his sprint car this past weekend, but had a tough night after failing to make it to the A-Main. He was pushed to the first of two semi-finals, but ended up being black-flagged and being sent to the pits during his race.

“I broke both studs on the valve covers and I’ve never seen that happen before, neither have my crew chiefs,” he said.

Team owner Cory Kruseman has a lot of faith in Charlie.

“I’m getting old, so someone is going to have to teach these kids how to race sprint cars,” Kruseman said.

Butcher is determined to win next weekend at Ventura Raceway’s biggest race of the year, where racers will be competing for $5,000. The race should draw a big crowd, and Butcher has his eyes set on the prize.