CNN TO FEATURE ZACH VEACH SUNDAY
TV Alert
ATLANTA, GA (Oct. 7, 2011) – On the heels of earning his first podium result in only his second Star Mazda Championship series race as well as being named by “ESPN The Magazine” as a NEXT athlete in motorsports, 16-year-old “Mazda Road to Indy” race car driver Zach Veach will return to CNN for a national interview with the popular cable news channel, which is delivered daily to over 100 million U.S. households.
In May 2010, Veach was named to CNN’s list of “Intriguing People” and appeared on CNN’s “Headline News” that September in advance of a speaking engagement at Microsoft headquarters as part of “Amazing Kids” from around the globe.
With his appearance on NBC’s “The Today Show” in March of 2011 to release his first book, 99 THINGS TEENS WITH THE KNEW BEFORE TURNING 16, Veach reveled his battle with childhood bullying, among other things.
Earlier this month, Veach was announced as a celebrity spokesperson for the Cyber Safety Academy’s “Great American NO BULL Challenge” in addition to Dr. Oz’s daughter Zoe Oz. The anti-bullying campaign is the first youth-led program built to give students a voice on the subject of bullying.
Veach’s segment is scheduled to be part of CNN’s comprehensive October coverage of “National Bullying Prevention Month” with popular host Anderson Cooper at the forefront.
The Ohio native’s segment is scheduled to be live at 2:40 p.m. EDT on Sunday, October 9, 2011 on CNN.
Excerpts
#1: Getting Your License
I have a special license, called an IMSA (International Motor Sports Association), which allows me to race cars. Yet, I only turned sixteen in December 2010. At last, I finally have my Ohio driver’s license! Just like training for a race on a simulator, I have to practice driving a regular car before I will be a safe driver on the highways.
Driving a regular car is completely different than driving on the race track. Plus, everyone is going in different directions out in the real world. For example, there is even more than one way to turn left. You can make a hard-left or a soft-left; sometimes you get a green arrow, sometimes not. It can get very complicated.
One thing that always helps is practice. Going out with your parents or a safe adult driver when you have your learner’s permit can make getting your license much easier. Just practicing maneuvering the car through a parking lot can be helpful. It takes time to adjust to being in control of a moveable machine. Even figuring out how soon to start pressing the break before a red light takes some practice. My dad takes me to parking lots or back roads to get me used to being behind the wheel of a regular car. Just remember, every little bit helps.
Danica Patrick is a professional racecar driver in the IZOD IndyCar Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2005, she became the first woman to lead the famed Indianapolis 500 and holds the highest finish for a woman in its 94-year history. In 2008, when she took the checkered flag at Twin Ring Motegi, she became the first female to win a major closed-course auto race. She has been voted Favorite Female Athlete at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, been named to Forbes “Most Powerful People in Sports” list, and Time Magazine’s “100 World’s Most Influential People.” Patrick shares her thoughts on the importance of practice:
The phrase, ‘practice makes perfect’ is a really great saying, but it can be misleading at times. The term ‘perfect’ is one that I don’t necessarily like, because there is no such thing as perfect. Nevertheless, I do believe that practice makes you better than you would be without it, but to say it can make you the perfect racecar driver is unrealistic. No one will ever be a perfect racecar driver—but that doesn’t mean you should ever stop trying to be one. We are all good at something; the challenge is to find out what ‘it’ is. Apply yourself and see what you are capable of becoming. When I first started go-karting I couldn’t even keep up on the parade laps; even when the field was going about 1/10th of the speed! My dad kept on telling me ‘laps, laps, laps’ (which really meant: practice, practice, practice). So, we went out to the track as much as possible and I got better and better until I got to the point where I could compete. I am so glad I pushed myself and found my passion. Now, what is yours?
#64: Stand Out from the Crowd
I’m a big fan of people who are individuals and don’t subscribe to cliques. We’re all much more interesting when we have our own style and flavor. I would much rather be unique than be like everyone else just so I could fit in.Kids at school sometimes tease me for wearing my racing shirts to class. I like wearing them. You see, racing is a huge part of my life and I love everything about it. It is also what makes me unique.
The teasing never bothered me. Besides, when I didn’t react and kept wearing my racing shirts, it showed them that I am confident enough to do what I want and be who I am. I think that is much cooler than dressing exactly like everyone else. Why not be a trendsetter yourself?
Winter Vinecki, 11, founded Team Winter at the age of nine to raise awareness and fund research for Prostate Cancer. A triathlete since age five, Vinecki talks about standing out from the crowd:
My dad, Michael, was diagnosed on his 40th birthday with prostate cancer and died before turning 41. For the past several years, Team Winter consisted of me racing by myself, raising money for prostate cancer research.
Realizing I could not do it alone, I expanded in 2010 to form a team of athletes across the world racing for Team Winter and Prostate Cancer Awareness; a concept similar to that of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and Team in Training.
As the first ever Ambassador for IronKids, a youth triathlon series put on by Ironman, I serve as a role model to kids across America. I encourage them to lead an active, positive, and healthy lifestyle through the sport of triathlon. I also encourage them to race, not only for themselves, but for a cause dear to them.
With the help of many kids and adults, I have helped raise over $200,000 to fund research through the Prostate Cancer Foundation.I have been told over and over again that ‘I am too young;’ too young to do an Olympic distance triathlon at age 9 (0.9 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run, which I completed in under four hours), too young for a 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles) at age 10, which I completed in 1:52:03, 12 seconds shy from a 22 year-old course record, and too young for marathons (26.2 miles) which I will be doing before I turn 13.
While I have coaches and doctors who assure me everything I am doing is safe and not damaging to my body, I don’t compete to show that I can. I know I can. I compete to show other kids and adults that anything is possible if we don’t listen to those who tell us we can’t.
I choose to stand out in honor of my dad and for the 1 in 6 men who will fight and/or fall victim to prostate cancer. I surround myself with family, friends, coaches, and athletes who believe in me and see me not as an age, but as an inspiration. My dad stood out as a young victim to prostate cancer. I am not afraid to stand out along side him.
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