When boys are young, they dream. It’s what they do.
They dream of what’s to come; they dream of what they want to do. They dream of impacting the world they live in. They dream of making the most of what they’re good at.
Sometimes, these dreams come true. Sometimes, they don’t. Sometimes, the results of the dreams are impacted by things outside of the dreamers’ control, and sometimes, they’re impacted by things within the dreamers’ control.
But these dreams are important, for they are rooted in hope and fueled by imagination. These dreams should never be extinguished. They should always be encouraged, supported, and nurtured.
Chase Schott has dreams. What he wants to be when he grows up is a race car driver. He wants it to be what he does, what he makes a living at.
At this point, he’s not exactly sure what that looks like or how he’s going to get there. But no one is going to tell him his dreams aren’t going to come true.
“Yeah, it’s a big dream, but it’s totally doable,” said Stacy Schott, Chase’s mom. “I’m never going to tell him not to dream it. You can make a living at it, but it’s not common. If you want it bad enough, you find a way to make it work.
“We live in a small conservative area. I think sometimes people have a small-town mentality. I don’t ever want anyone to be defined by where they come from. You can do whatever you want if you want it. There is so much out there. Greatness comes out of small packages. Chase is small, but he does great things.”
A 14-year-old resident of Lebanon, Chase attends Commonwealth Charter Academy, and he’s actively engaged in turning his dream into a reality. Already a 10-year racing veteran, Chase has experienced a fair amount of success on the local, regional, and national dirt track scene.
Fast in the dirt and tight in the turns, Chase is two years away from being able to legally operate a motor vehicle on the streets and highways of Pennsylvania.
“I’d like to think I’m good at it,” he said. “I have good results, and that proves a lot. Just beating certain (older and more experienced) guys, that boosts my confidence a little bit. I’ve gotten more comfortable and confident being in the car longer.”
“My goal for my son, I want him to succeed at whatever his dream is,” said Stacy. “I’ll do whatever is possible, in my power, to help him. His goal is to be a professional race car driver. I support him no matter what it takes. My thing is, ‘You give it your all, and never give up.’”
Chase has earned at least a dozen season and track championships on various levels and in multiple cars, including last year’s all-star, slingshot track championship at Linda’s Speedway in Jonestown, a 600 cc slingshot world championship in 2023, and a pair of USAC national championships. Hitting speeds in excess of 70 mph, Chase’s career win total is approaching 200 victories.
“When I’m in my car, I’m not thinking anything,” said Chase Schott, who sometimes answers to the nickname of “Wild Child.” “I’m thinking about how I can hit my lines and go faster. But yeah, it’s fun to go fast.”
“I think the key to his success is his work ethic,” said Stacy. “He’s at the garage every week working on something to make his race dreams a reality. He puts the time in, and races are won in the garage. He wants it. This is what he wants to do. For him to get to where he wants to go, he has to stand out. He was born with the knack and the knack to do it very well.”
A fourth-generation racer, Chase grew up around the sport and has oil coursing through his veins. His dad, Jerry Schott Jr., his grandfather, Jerry Schott Sr., and his great-grandfather, Richard Schott, all had stakes in the race game, and it was a family tradition Chase first honored when he was all of 4 years old.
“I just gained it from the line I guess,” said Chase. “I would think there would be some correlation to it. Right now, racing is pretty important to me. I’ve been doing it for 10 years, and it’s one of my greatest activities. I’ve improved a lot, just watching how other people get into corners and how much they use the gas and brake. Now, I’m going 70 on the track and thinking it’s a little slow.”
“When we started, we had no idea he was going to take to it,” said Stacy. “I have a video of him riding go-karts at Knoebel’s (Amusement Resort) when he was really young. He didn’t make any contact, and he was passing everyone. It’s usually hard to teach kids how to drive. It’s a lot of coaching, and it requires kids to listen a lot.”
If there would be such a thing as a critical point in his development, now would be it for Chase. For him to get to where he wants to go – to realize those boyhood dreams – he will need to continue to improve, make the right connections, and secure certain levels of financial backing.
“I have to keep showing good results, just showing people I can drive and practice good sportsmanship,” said Chase. “It’s about just doing good every race. Going out of state and racing against bigger names more often gives you more publicity. I can do something in the future if someone believes in me.”
“At this point, he has to continue to drive, and drive well, and make connections,” Stacy concluded. “He’s very much in the thick of it now. If things are going to happen, they need to happen soon.”
Dreams do come true.
For additional information on Chase Schott, search Schott Racing on Facebook.
Questions about this story? Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you.
Free news isn’t cheap. If you value the journalism LebTown provides to the community, then help us make it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news. You can unlock additional coverage for the community by supporting our work with a one-time contribution, or joining as a monthly or annual member. You can cancel anytime.
