Cole Whitt has enjoyed a lot of success and racing accolades, but the milestone the teenager will always treasure is the time he passed Tony Stewart, qualifying the young driver for the 2008 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

"We passed him on the outside and at the time I didn't even know who it was," said 17-year-old Whitt who passed the defending Chili Bowl champion to garner the fourth and final lock-in position of the 50-lap main event. "I got a lot of attention for that pass."

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My dad had to work so my mom came out [to Indiana] with me but she's always known a lot about racing. She's a little bit softer than my dad but she can still get after me.

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COLE WHITT

Whitt went on to finish 13th that Saturday night in Oklahoma, but he knows he'll be back next year as the open-wheel driver is just getting started.

Like the two-time Sprint Cup champion Stewart, Whitt wants to race in NASCAR and has chosen the path of Sprint and Midget cars to get it done.

"Not to disrespect other directions, but Sprint Cars are the ultimate kind of racecar -- they have 900-plus horsepower and teach you throttle control. And the Midget Cars teach you car control," said Whitt, who, with his mother Kim Whitt, left the California home for Indiana last year to race the United States Automobile Club circuit.

Whitt drives for Keith Kunz Motorsports and will race an average of 80 races in one season, so seat time he said isn't an issue as Whitt also races local features in his privately-owned Sprint Car he runs out of his home garage in Lebanon, Ind.

And even before Whitt had his driver's permit, he won eight International Karting Federation Grand National titles. He was first introduced to karting watching his cousin race and when he turned 8 years old, he asked his dad if they could buy a kart.

After dominating the karting scene, Whitt went on to race a junior-winged Sprint Car in 2004, progressing to the non-winged version, as well as full-size Midget and 410 Sprint Cars.

In 2006 he won the Hoosier Sprint Car rookie of the year award, and with a full calendar of Sprint Car and Midget contests this season, he continues to pursue his goal of becoming a NASCAR driver.

His partnership with Red Bull, Whitt said, could be the connection that opens the door.

At 13, he was contacted by Red Bull through a driver search and advanced to the semi-finals. Past Formula One driver turned NASCAR student Scott Speed, who has a long-time relationship with Red Bull, referred Whitt to the organization as a potential competitor.

"It's a cool story," Whitt said. "I've known the family for a long time. Scott and I used to race go-karts and his brother Alex was in the class below me."

Meanwhile, Whitt is preparing for Indiana Midget Week Aug. 6 to Aug. 10 and is hoping to catch some attention.

"Everyone gets looked at here and this is the place to continue to make a name for myself," said Whitt, who is fourth in the championship points. "My team has been working really hard this season and this is my first real USAC season where I think I'm heading in the right direction."

And keeping his personal life in the right direction is the job of his mother Kim, who in the summers leaves behind Whitt's father and younger brother in California in order to help support Whitt's racing career.

"My dad had to work so my mom came out here with me but she's always known a lot about racing. She's a little bit softer than my dad but she can still get after me," Whitt said. "But I do enjoy the home cooking more."

Whitt's passion for racing started with BMX bikes when he was five and from there he always wanted to be a professional racecar driver, but what people don't realize is that he also wanted to be a veterinarian.

He has always been a big animal lover and supports a group called Lions Tigers & Bears located in El Cajon, Calif. The group is dedicated to the preservation of big cats that face extinction.

The Brink family founded the organization but also paints and designs race helmets and that is how Whitt learned about their efforts.

"I was 8-years-old in their shop one day and saw this little tiger cub and I've wanted to help out since then," Whitt said.

Whitt said he's feels fortunate that racing has afforded him the opportunity to fulfill his dreams.