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Young Gun

Chris Hacker isn't an average race car driver. Last month the 13-year-old from Noblesville, Ind., became the youngest winner of a Champion Racing Association Late Model Sportsman event—a remarkable achievement considering Hacker steers only with his right hand. A brachial plexus injury during childbirth caused nerve damage to his left arm, significantly limiting its range of motion.

The injury has not slowed him down: Hacker, who began racing when he was eight, has won more than 150 trophies. He now competes against drivers who are double his age. "It's pretty funny because you see all these guys who are twice my size get out of the car, and then you see me," says Hacker, who's 5 feet and 83 pounds. "I think they get a little bit annoyed with me because I'm so young."

Hacker dreams of one day driving alongside his idol, Jeff Gordon, in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series. So far, he's on the right track.

PHOTO

ADAM WOLFFBRANDT/THE STAR/AP (HACKER)