Valentino

What do they love most about playing their sport(s)?

What Valentino loves most about karting is the competition and the challenge. He loves battling with other drivers, making passes, finding speed and constantly pushing himself to improve. As his mom, I see how much he enjoys learning from every race, especially the difficult ones. He loves understanding the kart, developing his racecraft and getting back on track to try again. More than anything, he simply loves to race.

Who inspires them—on or off the field—and why?

On the track, Valentino is inspired by endurance racers and drivers who show determination, racecraft and resilience. Off the track, one of his biggest inspirations is his grandfather, Terry Di Francesco, who has spent years teaching him about racing, mechanics, sportsmanship and perseverance. Having three generations of racers in our family has given Valentino a strong connection to motorsport and inspires him to keep learning, working hard and chasing his own goals.

What’s one moment in their athletic journey that makes you proudest?

Besides his first win, my proudest moment was a race where Valentino was running in the top three before an incident dropped him to the back of the field. He fought his way back to finish mid-pack, but what made me proudest was how he came off the track—calm, confident and determined. There was no anger or frustration, just a positive mindset and focus on the next race. Seeing that resilience and maturity showed me how much he has grown as both a racer and a person.