By Jim Lockwood
Staff Writer

Hopkinton’s Austin Brehio, 8, gets strapped into his go-kart by his father, Glen, prior to the start of his Tiger Sprint B Division race at Sugar Hill Speedway in Weare on Sept. 4. This season, Brehio also raised funds for the “Race Against Cancer.” (Jim Lockwood Photo)

HOPKINTON – Austin Brehio races cars because, like many young boys, he’s thrilled with fast-moving objects and enjoys crossing the finish line first.

However, this Hopkinton 8-year-old recently realized there’s a bigger reward to racing than winning a contest or accumulating the most points during the season.

Using his racing skills to overcome an opponent much more threatening than another 8-year-old, Austin did his part to put cancer in the rearview mirror.

“It’s good to teach him to give to other people,” said Teri Brehio, whose son raised $670 selling raffle tickets and purple “Race Against Cancer” bracelets to friends and family.

When Austin and his father, Glen, heard the track was participating in the Race Against Cancer campaign by selling 50-50 raffle tickets and other items, they decided to do additional fundraising on their own.

Prior to the week of Aug. 8 to 13, the Brehios sold raffle tickets, each imprinted with the digits 00 through 99. They decided the winning ticket would match the last two digits of New Hampshire’s “Pick 4” winning lottery number, drawn each night of that week.

Austin raised $500 that way, selling a total of 100 tickets at $10 apiece. The idea originated from Glen, who used the system to raise money as a racer himself.

Austin’s fundraising contribution was part of a combined $9,000 raised by all the racers at Weare’s Sugar Hill Speedway.

The young driver was first exposed to the sport at two weeks old, when he was taken to the track where Glen raced.

Glen was an accomplished Busch Grand National Series driver. He won a Winchester track title more than 10 years ago, and won Rookie of the Year honors in 1991 and again in ’93, when he moved to a tougher division.

Since Austin started racing when he was 6, Glen has been his crew chief and driving coach.

“He tells me to go fast and be on (my opponent’s) bumper,” said Austin, who plays soccer, basketball and baseball when he isn’t racing.

Austin started this year at Sugar Hill competing in the lowest division for young racers, Tiger Sprint C. He lapped his competition twice in a practice round and it was thought he’d skip the B division – just like he skipped the second grade.

This 8-year-old is doing fine in third grade and is mastering the competition at the B level.

As it turned out, he nearly lapped his B-division opponents at one practice.

Through Sunday, Sept. 4, Brehio led the field by 16 points with three races to go in the season.

On Sept. 4, he finished fifth in a qualifier after an accident with another car. He also took third in the feature race, coming from behind to take a lead before two rivals edged him out.

Austin averaged 12.4 seconds per lap, computing to roughly 58 mph.

Every Sunday, he drives in a qualifier and a feature race at Sugar Hill. In the qualifier, Austin competes for starting position in the feature race.

He’s awarded points depending on his performance in the feature contest. The racer at the end of the season with the most points wins the championship trophy.

Austin’s current points standing puts him in good position to hoist the hardware, although time still remains for his foes to change the outcome.

And just as he focused on fundraising, Austin now uses his tunnel vision to help with another matter.

“I want to win the trophy,” he said.