Harrison Rhodes succeeds in the classroom and on the race track.

• Position: Athletics

From books, classes, homework and friends to extra-curricular activities and staying involved, navigating the schedule of a 19-year-old college student can be tricky. But add a professional racing career to the lineup, and you're in for a crazy ride.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Freshman Harrison Rhodes, a High Point native, is driving down this busy yet rewarding path.

Rhodes is a K&N Pro Series racecar driver who has been racing since he was 10 years old. He grew up in and around the sport, and he learned that it was his passion at an early age. In March, he made his NASCAR Nationwide debut at Phoenix International Raceway.

"My dad was friends with NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte, and one day I saw his son Tyler racing go karts," says Rhodes. "I went to a race and watched, and I decided that I wanted to race too. It basically sparked there."

Rhodes raced Quarter Midgets--a smaller version of a Midget racecar--for four years and was met with success throughout this time. When he was 14 years old, he moved on to racing legends cars with Dan Snyder Racing. He had four first-place finishes in his first year of legends competition, and he finished second overall in the National Points Standings the next year.

In 2010, Rhodes began racing in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series, where he drove a late model stock car. He was the youngest racer to make the Martinsville Speedway race--where only 43 cars out of 85 were able to start the race--and the 250-lap Myrtle Beach 400.

He was invited to join the K&N series in 2012 after his early successes and finished fourth in his first race in the series. When Rhodes competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona, the event was televised live on ESPN2 and was aired on MRN Radio.

All the while his racing career was picking up speed, Rhodes was busy making another big life decision--where to attend college. He chose High Point University...