Merced, Calif. - Veteran sprint car driver Dan Gonderman has a fly on his tail in the All Star Wingless Sprint Car series. That would be 16-year-old Christian Hickman - a newcomer who won the season opener in April and chased veterans like Gonderman and Jimmy Sills across the finish line in the last two Merced Speedway main events. Hickman, a Chowchilla High School student, is now sitting in second place in the competitive championship points race, 12 points behind Gonderman. He returns Sunday night to take on the big guys in a double-header featuring the sprints and DIRTcar West Modified Stock Cars at the speedway. Also on the card are Hobby Stocks and the winged Valley Sportsman. Hickman was born to race. His grandfather, Joe Diaz, put him into competition as soon as he could walk. “I was racing flat track motorcycles when I was four,” fast-talking Hickman explained. “I’m an outdoor-type guy. I played baseball since then, too - my favorite sport outside of racing. I love basketball, running, driving motorcycles and cars.” Hickman was the talk of the motorcycle world when he finished third in the nationals at age 6 in 2001. In 2011, he’s the talk of the sprint car racing world after winning that April race. He came back in May to give one of California’s best all-time drivers, Jimmy Sills, a run for the money. “It was a blast running against Sills - he was winning races decades before I was born,” Hickman said. “He found a groove on the race track that I didn’t see. I chased him and I focused on what he was doing different than me. He’s certainly proved himself in the world of sprint car racing.” Diaz bought his grandson his first sprint car three years ago. When he raced against established driver Kris Koontz, Hickman impressed him so much he offered him a “ride” in his silver number 22 sprint car. The rest is history. “He just called me and asked me to drive for him this season,” Hickman said. “I was thrilled and thankful.” The race against Sills saw Hickman fly off the track on the last turn of the last lap. “Trying too hard,” he said. “I just went into the turn too hot.” In the third wingless sprint car race of the season at Merced, Hickman came back with another impressive run - finishing third. “I’d like to win a championship,” Hickman said. “It would be awesome. Right now, I analyze my mistakes and constantly ask myself how I can do something better.” The honors student has set his goals in education, too. His favorite subject is PE, but a college degree in engineering is what he’s looking for. “I definitely will go to a four year university and get a degree,” he said. “And, for sure, I’ll keep racing. I have big plans to move up into the upper classes of sprint car racing.” He’s big on preparing his body to reach that goal. “I try to run a mile a day to keep my cardio up,” he explained. “I drink gallons of water. Racing is a serious workout. Other athletes don’t realize that. Conditioning is everything.” Who is his idol in racing? “I’d say NASCAR’s Kyle Busch,” he admitted. “His level of skill and knowledge is unbelievable. I never talked to him. I’d like to. Eventually, I know it will happen.” SPEEDWAY NOTES: It’s the second half of the season and the points battles are being noticed. Merced’s Chris Shannon has widened his lead over Troy Foulger of Matinez in the DIRTcar West modified division. Thirty points separate the leaders there and in the Super Stock Division, where last week’s winner Bob Williamson of Merced has moved into second behind Larry Damitz of Vallejo. Commanding leads are held by Ryan Hart in the Hobby Stocks, Mike Hausmann in the Valley Sportsman, and Nick Sagmiller in the “Four Banger” divisions. Improvements at the speedway continue. This week, fans will notice a large billboard announcing Mitchell’s Modesto Harley Davidson as a sponsor to the upcoming West Coast Nationals for the DIRTcar modifieds. Special events will be added to the speedway schedule soon. The September and October schedules will be firmed in the weeks to come, as the track secures dates for big events. The popular Sport Modified division will be given a chance to race at Merced Speedway on August 7. Promoter John Soares requires a minimum of 10 cars to put a class of cars on the schedule and to keep other classes of cars racing in the weekly shows. A strong showing by the Sport Modified drivers would guarantee repeat performances. Racing begins 5 p.m. on Sunday. The speedway is located on the Merced County Fairgronds, 900 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way in Merced, CA. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children 6-12, and $8 for senior citizens. A family pack of tickets - two adults and two children - is $28.