Behind the scenes of The National Association of Stock Car Racing (NASCAR), welders work countless hours to create the body of a stock race car. Though all the glory is handed to the racers for competing and winning, the real winners are in a garage harnessing the power of fire. Welcome NASCAR’s newest fire-bender: Jackson (Jax) Harris.
Harris can be described as hands-on and always looking for a job to do. As an avid member of the FFA team and Varsity water polo’s #10, Harris showcases dedication and work ethic in everything he sets his mind to.
Harris found his way to the racing scene when Bart Riebe, a long-time friend and buyer of his steers, introduced him to his friend who owns a NASCAR team in Roseville, CA. Through this introduction, Harris obtained his internship as a welder.
When asked what he looks forward to learning while interning Harris says, “I’ll be welding car frames together, so hopefully getting better at that,” and, “Working with a better team…hopefully build more teamship skills.”
Harris notes that he expects one of his biggest challenges to be the Nevada County Fair. Harris raises steer and describes how the fair takes around 10 months of background work, not to mention having to raise a cow along with that. Harris describes his cattle from last year, an all-black cow named “Blackjack.”
Despite the challenges some of Harris’s biggest supporters are only a call’s length away “My grandpa, he’s been the biggest supporter of it… he thinks it’s going to be great for me,” Harris says, “Friends have supported me, they say ‘just keep going with it.’ They’re all really excited for me.”
Harris’s one takeaway from this situation is, “Just keep working at it, just keep working towards your dream. I mean you’ll get there eventually if you just keep going with it,’ Harris says, “Life is going to be hard, but you just have to push through it. People will be there to support you if they care, and if they’re not standing by you, then they’re just another obstacle you have to work around.”
