聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Lampman's Riley Raynard is no stranger to successfully surmounting challenges. Since being diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at age four, the 18-year-old started driving his first hobby stock car at 14, won his first trophy at 16, became a fixture at racing competitions in Manor, Estevan and Minot, N.D., travelled to Indianapolis, Ind. to pick up Speedway Illustrated magazine's prestigious Ken Schrader Real Racer Award, and this year, travelled to the IMCA Super Nationals, where he competed alongside 700 other cars and won a feature (race), a rarity for a first-timer.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Racer 397R's most recent challenge was tackling his first public speaking event at Arcola School on Oct. 21, as part of the school's Education Week programming.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭hey asked me to come last year,鈥� says Raynard, who was accompanied by his parents-and former race car drivers- Devin and Wendy. 鈥淏ut I wasn't ready and I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it. I'm glad I did. It just helps people understand what (Duchenne muscular dystrophy) is.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Speaking to the school's staff and the entire student body, Raynard's presentation, 'Making Every Moment Count' began with input from his mother, Wendy, who explained that Duchenne MD 鈥渋s a disease that causes the muscles in your body to get weaker and weaker and eventually stop working, including the heart and lungs.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淩iley was born with it. It's not contagious; it's genetic. And I, as his mom, am the carrier, and only boys get it.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淧eople with this disease have bodies that don't produce enough dystrophin, which is kind of like the glue that holds things together,鈥� she added.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淩iley was born in 1997 and walked and talked at a normal age. In 2001, at the age of four, he was diagnosed with MD. But he played baseball and soccer and was involved in Cub Scouts. The effects were gradual, and Riley walked as long as he could-and he ended up walking on his tiptoes; that's what (the disease does)-but at 14, he began using a wheelchair.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淗e takes meds and does a lot of stretching which helps to prolong (the strength of) his muscles,鈥� adds Wendy.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淏ut despite this challenge, he was determined not to let this disease slow him down, and when Riley got his driver's licence, he bought a van with hand controls and a lift. And his dad was a racer, so he bought him a race car when he was 14 and he's been racing ever since.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淗e likes anything with a motor,鈥� she laughs. 鈥淎nd not much slows him down. He just continually surprises me with his strength. He's so determined and stubborn.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Since his career began-at the age of 14-Riley has regularly raced at the Estevan Motor Speedway and often appears at Manor's Eagle Motorsports and Nodak Motor Speedway in Minot.聽 Most recently, he was 2015's runner-up for points in Estevan.
听听听听听听听听听听听 This year, he was a first-time competitor at the IMCA Super Nationals in Boone, Iowa, where he competed alongside 700 other racers and won a feature race-a rarity for a novice at the event.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淕oing to the Super Nationals was one of my dreams come true,鈥� says Riley. 鈥淥ne of the best things was that I was the only car in my class to come from Saskatchewan. There were 141 cars in my class and I finished 67th in points.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚 won a race there, too. And they say it's not often someone racing there for the first time does that.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚t was a 15-hour drive to get down there, but it was totally worth it.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Riley achieved another racing milestone south of the border in 2014, when he, his family, and close friend and fellow racer, Leevi Runge of Lampman travelled to Indianapolis where Raynard was awarded the prestigious Ken Schraeder Real Racer Award from Speedway Illustrated magazine.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Riley came out on top in a field of over 60 nominees as the award's recipient, which 鈥渁nnually recognizes those who do more for the sport than get the most points.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚t was for someone in racing who had heart and determination in the sport and who has overcome a lot of obstacles,鈥� says Riley, who also raises money for the Muscular Dystrophy Society, via Laps for MD. 鈥淧eople nominate you for the award and you don't have to win races; it's about your determination.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚t was really exciting to be there and to be there with my family and my buddy that always helps me. Without my family, my friends and my sponsors, I wouldn't be here racing.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Riley acknowledges there have been obstacles throughout his racing career. 鈥淭here were crashes on the way. I had a bad wreck this year, but we managed to fix the car.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淲ith my first car, I crashed a lot,鈥� he says. 鈥淧robably close to 10 crashes. But you get better as you move on and you start not to hit people.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚 use hand controls for the brakes and I still use my feet for the gas, but as they get weaker and weaker, we'll have to figure something else out.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淲hen I first got the diagnosis, I was kind of shocked, but I had to move on and just accept it, because that's life,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 started using a wheelchair when I was about 13 or 14. I tried to walk as long as I could, but it was just too hard. I was walking on my tippytoes all the time.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Currently, Riley races a Chevy Monte Carlo body with a 350 horsepower engine.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚 want to race for the rest of my live,鈥� he told his audience. 鈥淕o for your dreams. Life is too short---Nobody can tell you what you can't do.鈥�
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听听听听听听听听听听听 聽
