08/06/2026
Featured Racer Spotlight: Opal Jenkins
Some racers spend years dreaming about getting behind the wheel. This week's Race Mode Co Featured Racer is only five years old, has been racing for just three months, and is already showing everyone at the track that she's not afraid to go fast.
Meet Opal Jenkins, a Red Rookie quarter midget racer from North Carolina whose first season has already been filled with fast laps, big accomplishments, tough lessons, and plenty of grit.
Meet Opal Jenkins
Age: 5
Hometown: Troutman, North Carolina
Racing Class: Red Rookie
Home Track: NCQMA
Race Team: Grace & Grit Motorsports
Years Racing: 3 Months
Opal races quarter midgets with Grace & Grit Motorsports at NCQMA in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Although she's one of the youngest racers we've featured, Opal has already developed a serious love for being behind the wheel.
With each trip onto the track, her family has watched her confidence grow—and they've seen just how much heart and determination this five-year-old racer has.
Three Months, A Whole Lot of Racing
It's hard to believe Opal has only been racing for three months.
Her rookie season has already included exciting finishes, big learning moments, and challenges that have tested her determination.
One of the biggest came after a rollover.
For any racer, an incident like that can shake your confidence. For a five-year-old who is brand new to the sport, getting back into the car takes an incredible amount of courage.
But Opal did exactly that.
She got back behind the wheel and kept racing.
That ability to face something difficult, keep showing up, and continue improving may be an even bigger accomplishment than anything that comes home from the track on a trophy.
She's Fast, Too
Courage isn't the only thing Opal is bringing to the racetrack.
One of her family's proudest accomplishments so far was watching her earn Fast Qualifier with a 7.85-second lap.
Their description of her says it best:
"She is brave and loves to go fast!"
For a racer with only a few months of experience, putting down a lap like that is certainly something to be proud of.
And judging by the smile in her submitted racing photos, Opal is having plenty of fun while she's doing it.
More Than Trophies
One of our favorite parts of Opal's submission was what her family had to say about why they race.
For the Jenkins family, racing isn't simply about trophies or where Opal finishes at the end of the day.
It's about what she learns along the way.
They're using racing to help teach her confidence, patience, sportsmanship, and how to keep showing up when things get hard.
Those are lessons that extend far beyond the racetrack.
At five years old, Opal is learning how to compete, how to handle challenges, how to keep working toward something, and how to believe in herself.
That's what grassroots racing is all about.
Just Getting Started
Three months.
That's all the time Opal has had behind the wheel so far.
She's already experienced the excitement of going fast, the pride of being a fast qualifier, the challenge of a rollover, the thrill of successful race days, and the confidence that comes from getting better every time she takes to the track.
Imagine where she'll be after three years.
For now, Opal is doing exactly what a five-year-old racer should be doing—learning, growing, having fun, and going fast.
We have a feeling we'll be hearing the name Opal Jenkins around the racetrack for a long time to come.
From everyone at Race Mode Co, congratulations, Opal! Keep showing that Grace & Grit, keep chasing those fast laps, and most importantly, keep loving racing.
We're excited to see where your racing journey takes you next.
Check out Opal's Full Blog: https://www.racemodeco.com/blogs/news/featured-racer-spotlight-opal-jenkins
Want to be a featured racer: www.racemodeco.com
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