Most 15-year-olds have enough on their plate balancing high school, homework and sports. Peoria teenager Drew Madrid adds something else to that list: climbing behind the wheel of a full-size race car and competing against experienced adult drivers on dirt tracks across the region.

The Peoria High School sophomore has earned the 2026 International Motor Contest Association Southern Region Rookie of the Year honor in the Hobby Stock division.

Drew is a three-sport varsity letter athlete and honor-roll student, competing in football, basketball and baseball. He has also spent the year racing a full-size IMCA Hobby Stock while continuing to compete in go-karts and RC dirt-track racing.

Drew's racing experience spans three different levels of the sport: full-size dirt-track racing, go-kart racing and RC dirt-track racing. Each requires a different type of control, strategy and discipline.

Mother Brandy Madrid said being rookie of the year isn't simply about a trophy or a title.

"It's about a 15-year-old learning that success requires discipline, perseverance and grit—whether he's sitting in a classroom, stepping onto a high school field or strapping into a race car," Brandy said.

Editor's note: This article was submitted by Brandy Madrid.