Nathan Mohr doesn't have a driver's license. But the 17-year-old knows how to maneuver his race car around the Grandview Speedway track.

                Mohr, in his first full season racing the 17M car in the Sportsman big-block class, is ranked 24th out of 50 drivers in total points. "Nathan is a natural," said his father Tom Mohr. "He's not afraid to run with the big boys. The other drivers tell me he has come a long way."

                Racing every Saturday night from April to November is much more fun than going for a hike or throwing a football, according to Nathan. He feels an adrenaline rush right before the green flag is dropped.

                "I get to go fast without my parents yelling at me," said Nathan, who will be a junior at Upper Perkiomen High School in the fall.

                Two years ago, Nathan asked his father if he could race. Tom Mohr said he knew the request was coming since his son has seen photos of his Uncle Scott, who raced at Grandview in the 1980s.  "Once it's in your blood, you can't get it out," said Tom Mohr, who lives in East Greenville with his family.

                Two years ago, Nathan participated in handful of feature events, winning his first-ever heat.  "I remember holding onto the wheel, hitting the gas and hoping the car would stick to the track," he said.

                Last year, Nathan competed in 20 events. According to Tom Mohr, his son stayed on the bottom of the track and was lapped by several opponents.

                "It took me a half a season to figure out the intricacies of racing," Nathan said.

                This year, after improving his school work, Nathan's parents allowed him to participate in the entire season.

                On the track, a more aggressive approach has translated into success. Nathan said he earned the respect of his competitors by giving them room to maneuver and not running them over.

                "The key is to control the car through the turns so you have momentum bearing into the straightaway," he said. "The older drivers keep telling me how much I am improving."

                On May 30, he finished fifth in the feature race.  "We were all very excited," said Tom Mohr, who works the pits for his son with his brothers, Scott and Kerry.

                According to Nathan, that prize money, $250, will go towards buying a new car frame for next season.

                Most weeks, Tom and Nathan Mohr spend every Tuesday and Thursday night working on the car the father purchased used for $10,000. Scott Mohr usually helps out, according to Nathan. He said they are often joined in the garage by Terry Reinert, Terry Swoyer and his son Anthony.

                On the two occasions Nathan wrecked, they spent four or five nights a week on repairs.

                "Neither of the crashes were Nathan's fault," said Tom Mohr, who spends $54 for gasoline every weekend. "He just got stuck in the middle."

                Nathan says he not afraid of getting hurt. Strapped into the car with lap belt and a shoulder harness, the driver can only move his arms and feet.

                "It took a little while, but the collisions don't phase me," he said.

                With a third of his season remaining, Nathan is confident he can accomplish his goal of finishing in the top 20 overall.

                "He's almost there," Tom Mohr said.