Shekyla King’s fearless rise through the karting ranks is turning heads — and rewriting what’s possible for young drivers
Michigan has always been fertile ground for racing talent. From Brad Keselowski and Erik Jones to Carson Hocevar, the road to NASCAR glory often begins on dusty local tracks and tiny machines with oversized dreams. Now, another name is starting to echo through those same circuits — and she’s only 11.
Shekyla King, a kart racing phenom from East Lansing, is quietly building a résumé that most adult racers would envy.
Like so many champions before her, she started young. Quarter midgets before ten. Late-model aspirations before her teens. And in just a few short seasons, she’s gone from first-time racer to multi-division champion, becoming the first female in more than two decades to be named East Lansing Kart Track “Driver of the Year.”
Born in the Philippines and moving to the U.S. in 2018, King discovered karting in 2020 thanks to her stepfather, Rickey King. By 2021, she had already claimed her first championship. What followed was a whirlwind of titles, runner-up finishes, and historic milestones — including a dominant 2024 season that placed her firmly in Michigan karting history.
Then came August.
Back-to-back weekends. Fifteen starts. Fourteen wins.
Five victories at the Bobby Haun Memorial Race. A clean sweep across two clubs the following weekend. Wire-to-wire wins, pole positions, last-to-first charges. One heat race where she started dead last and still crossed the line first.
It wasn’t just winning — it was how she won.
“She’s not just winning — she’s showing race craft, mental toughness, and a fearless love of speed,” said her father, Rickey King. “Shekyla thrives under pressure, and when she’s on track, she’s a different kind of racer. No doubt in my mind she’s on her way to becoming one of the most popular and talented drivers in the sport.”
Sponsors are noticing. Fans are circling race weekends on their calendars. And Shekyla? She’s already looking ahead.
Her roadmap reads like a future Hall of Fame plaque: late models and modifieds in 2026, Skip Barber Racing Series in 2027, Formula 2000 in 2028 — all leading toward one audacious dream.
“I’ve been chasing this dream since the very beginning,” says King. “Every race, every lap, is one step closer to Indy. I strive to be gracious in victory and always acknowledge my fellow competitors’ efforts. For me, racing is fun, and going fast is even more fun! Searching for that limit is what I do best.”
If that limit exists, Shekyla King doesn’t seem interested in finding it anytime soon.
And when she says her goal is to become the first Filipino female IndyCar driver in the Indianapolis 500, it doesn’t sound like a wish.
It sounds like a plan.
Stories like Shekyla King’s are why racing will never run out of heroes. Talent, discipline, humility, and joy — all wrapped into one fearless kid chasing a checkered flag. If this is what the future of motorsports looks like, we’re in excellent hands. Keep speeding, Shekyla. The world is watching.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/mu9xWp_F6QA?si=fUoP4ZVMNvZg6q2l
- https://www.thelascopress.com/2025/09/east-lansing-youngster-racing-towards-lofty-national-series-goals/
- https://aistudio.google.com/
- https://chatgpt.com/
About Author
