Chase Grigsby wasn't interested in soccer or baseball or any other sport played with a ball. This seventh-grader likes wheels.

But it takes a family to raise a racer.

Crazy for cars, the 12-year-old from Rio Linda talked his parents into letting him compete in a Mini-Cup car – a half-scale replica of NASCAR's Sprint Cup vehicles. In his first season, Chase set three track records and won the Western Scale Racing Association Mini-Cup championship, competing against fledgling drivers from throughout Northern California, Nevada and Oregon. The series is open to ages 9 to 16.

"Some kids he raced against already drive on the street," said dad Steve Grigsby, who works for the family's pool-plastering company. Driving mostly at Roseville's All American Speedway, Chase finished fourth in the national point standings. His No. 14 car earned the nickname the Roseville Rocket.

"Many of these kids have been racing since they were 5," Steve added. "They came into this series way ahead of the curve."

Chase, who attends West Side Charter School in Rio Linda, idolizes NASCAR star Carl Edwards, who grew up a young phenomenon.

Said Chase of his own budding motorsports career, "Most of my friends don't believe it, honestly. I have to prove it to them. Then they're like, 'Are you serious? This is so cool!' "

Chase's title not only reflects his talent, but a full family effort. Dad Steve, mom Robin, sister Brittni, cousin Mike plus lots of aunts, uncles and other relatives became crew and support staff.

Danger was and is a major concern for his parents.

"It's the first thing that runs through your mind," Robin said. "He had to be safe. He was vulnerable. At first, he didn't really know what he was doing. But he showed us he could do this, and he kept getting better and better. We're a lot more comfortable now."

Plenty of tire tracks to follow

In Rio Linda, the family is surrounded by racing lore. Rio Linda is where NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon got his start as a preschooler, racing quarter-midgets at Hayer Memorial Speedway. Steve Grigsby comes from a racing family, too: His grandfather Wilbur, dad Frank and uncle Steve were legends at All American Speedway. As a teen, Steve competed in dragsters, traveling the western United States until age 20.

But knowing the expense of racing, Steve tried to steer Chase to baseball or basketball.

"He couldn't find his niche," said the dad. "He never seemed very happy at what he was doing."

Visiting a friend's race shop changed everything. Chase got to sit in a Mini-Cup car.

"I said, 'Oh, no!' " Steve recalled.

Said Robin, "We tried all these different sports, but (racing) was in his blood."

The Grigsby family was never the same.

"We were very nervous about putting him into a race car," Steve said. "But we got a lot of help from a lot of people."

The couple did their research first. They could afford a used Mini-Cup car at $3,500. (New ones run $12,000.) Only 30 inches tall, 105 inches long, with top speeds of 75 mph, the 680-pound cars (including driver) are miniature versions of NASCAR's 3,400-pound Sprint Cup models. Mini-Cup cars use 390cc Honda engines.

With a tight budget, Chase could compete a full season for under $6,000 including travel. His parents found the program's safety record was much better than dirt bikes or all-terrain vehicles, Chase's other interest. They decided the key to safety was good equipment and practice.

They also got help from Paul Gomes, an accomplished local driver, and Lyn Hale, whose teen son Johnathan had worked up through racetrack ranks.

After Chase drove 33 hours of laps over many Thursday practices at All American, Steve and Robin decided to ease him in slowly with a trial race last fall.

"We felt he was good enough to hang out at the back of the pack and just cruise around the track," Steve said. "Then, he started passing everybody."

Chase finished third, and the family was hooked.

Said Robin: "It really caught us off guard. For us, it's been a whirlwind."

Call The Bee's Debbie Arrington, (916) 321-1075.