Mississippi has always been home to famous people like Oprah, Faith Hill and John Grisham. Many are part of the daily news and have made great strides for the state. But there is a 15-year-old who is sliding into stardom a NASCAR track.
Nicolas “Cole” Denton is a lifelong resident of Pascagoula who is gaining popularity as one of the most exciting young drivers in American motorsports. Want to fact check? Put that name in Google or Wikipedia to see what appears.
His mom/publicist, Tina Denton, said that this need for speed started even before he could talk.
“At just two years old, he spotted the Lowe’s #48 Jimmie Johnson on TV and recognized it from riding in the shopping cart at Lowe’s,” she said. “That moment sparked his dream of becoming a racecar driver.”
And then at age four, he attended the Snowball Derby and knew the names of every car and driver, and that is where he learned of the champ kart racing for kids, the beginning his “racing” career. Four years in the racing go-karts, four more in Bandoleros, Legend Cars at age 12, and then making his Late Model debut at Madera Speedway in California at age 15.
With more than 10 years of racing under his belt, he has now signed to run the full ARCA Menards Series West schedule with Jan’s Racing Team. This is the first step on the ladder to racing on the NASCAR circuit.
“At 15, Cole is eligible for tracks of certain sizes and is running a full 13-race ARCA West season,” Mrs. Denton said. “Super speedways require drivers to be 18.”
Cole is the son of Willie and Tina Denton, both of Pascagoula. With parents who are retired in education and information technology, he gets a well-rounded homeschool education that also accommodates his demanding travel schedule.
In his short career, he has already earned more than 150 wins along with multiple track championships and national titles. But the win that will propel him into NASCAR was the April 11 win at Tucson Speedway during the ARCA West race.
“This was only his third series start,” Mrs. Denton said. “He was the youngest driver in the field, and this victory is recognized has his first career NASCAR win.”
At 15, he is not even allowed to have a legal driver’s license and is hitting speeds of more than 150 mph and winning championships. He said he is working toward his ultimate goal of being a NASCAR racer.
“My dream is to race in the NASCAR Cup Series,” Cole said. “I love everything about racing—the driving, the teamwork, the strategy, all of it.”
He said if something happened and he was unable to drive, he would still want to be involved in racing as a commentator or hauling the big rigs.
With an early lead on his career, Cole’s parents are beaming with pride watching him chase his dream.
“As a parent, you hope your child finds something they love, but seeing him work for it, stay grounded, and handle success with grace, it’s overwhelming in the best way,” Mrs. Denton said. “I’m proud of the racer he’s becoming, but I’m even more proud of the young man he already is.”
His father shares the same sentiment as his mother, especially that his success comes with humility, kindness and his personal demeanor.
“There’s nothing quite like watching your child live out the dream they’ve had since they were little,” Mr. Denton said. “Every time Cole climbs into a race car, I’m reminded of that tiny boy who loved anything with wheels.”
Don’t think this success comes without stress. His parents said that they are nervous each time he climbs into the car, but they keep their fears in check.
“I decided a long time ago that I will not allow my fears to keep him from his love and fulfilling his dreams,” Mrs. Denton said. “The ARCA car is the fastest car he has ever raced, but it is, by far, the safest.”
Along with traveling to race cities and school work, Cole is also passionate about flying. He has spent time using a flight simulator and has completed his first discovery flight. His long-term dream is to combine the things of which he is most passionate and fly himself to racetracks as a NASCAR Cup driver.
This young racer is also an advocate for the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, an organization that supports children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers. Cole said he uses his platform to raise awareness and support for the foundation’s mission.
