Gabrielle Gaxiola-Cruz has used her skills to travel around the
country
Morgan Hill’s Gabrielle Gaxiola-Cruz has a need for speed.
The 14-year-old freshman at Sobrato High School lives for the thrill of the racing track, but she’s not a spectator – she’s behind the wheel.
With several titles under her belt as an electric scooter and go-quad racer, Gabrielle proudly states, “I even beat the boys.”
Her love for racing began on Christmas morning two years ago when her parents bought her an electric scooter for the holidays. She found one of her four go-squads at a shop when searching for parts for her scooter and that stirred her interest in racing. One race led to another and after racing go-quads for going on two seasons, Gabrielle has earned 15 trophies and impressive national and world championship titles.
In a season that started in February and finished in October of 2005, she finished first in the women’s 175-lb. go-quad class by accumulating points by racing in Phoenix, Ariz., twice in Paris, Calif., in Denver, Colo., and twice in Stockton, Calif., during the International Scooter Cross Association series. She placed in all of the other go-quad classes she joined.
Two weekends ago, she raced at the world’s competition in Lake Havasu, Arizona and placed second in the women’s 175-lb. class.
Gabrielle races in classes that are based on the weight of the rider, plus the kart and motor size. Males and females of all ages race in the classes.
Gabrielle’s eyes light up when she talks about racing.
“In the beginning, I was shaking and nervous, but I got used to racing and it got funner,” she exclaimed.
“She had monkey nerves at the start, but now, she’s got that killer instinct going,” her proud father Sonny Cruz said.
Few girls have taken to racing go-squads and scooters, but Gabrielle enjoys it.
“I like being there with all the guys and beating them,” Gabrielle said, beaming proudly. “It’s a dominant male scene and it’s about skill and motors and I’ve been able to beat the boys.”
The races get busy for Gabrielle. Most of the classes she races are back to back and she jumps from one kart to another during the contests. With her mother Alma, Sonny, brothers Bennie and Steve close by, and garbed in a helmet, knee and elbow pads, goggles and gloves, Gabrielle hops on the go-squads which have to be push-started but go from a standstill to 50mph in only a few seconds.
“There isn’t much time, it’s just 1/8th of a mile, but there are lots of turns and curves,” she explained. And so far, no real close calls.
Gabrielle has four go-quads and two Michael Robello Boxers (a faster, high-performance go-quad), which she raced for the first time last weekend at the world championship in Lake Havusa.
Although she practices at a race track in Fremont twice a month and has had to take time off school to participate in the races, Gabrielle tries to keep up with her studies. She is even involved in the Leadership group at the high school.
Scooter and go-quad racing have involved the whole family. Gabrielle’s brother Bennie, 18, races boxer scooters and Steve, 24, also races and is involved with the Santa Cruz Scooterworks, which partially sponsors Gabrielle.
The Cruzes have taken what started as a family hobby one step farther. They have a Web site, with thousands of racing photos of their family and other racers. They are starting their own racing league, called NorCalMiniMotorSports, and they plan to have local races open to go- quads, motorized scooters and MRBs.
For more information on the Cruz family or the races, visit their Web site at www.cruzracingusa.com or www.norcalminimotorsports.org.
Rose Meily is the City Editor for the Morgan Hill Times. Reach her at 779-4106 ext. 201 or by e-mail at [email protected]
