This piece is written by Taylor Wiseman, who is covering the Lone Star Le Mans Grand Prix as a member of the Young Journalist Program.
A young fan, arms covered in signatures, walks up to Pierre Kaffer and Giancarlo Fisichella, drivers of the Risi Competizione No. 62 Ferrari 458, unfazed by their professional driver status.
Kaffer and the young fan engage in conversation. Kaffer pokes fun at the hat nine-year-old Nicholas Swaluk is wearing, it’s not Ferrari. Kaffer takes the young fans hat off and gives him the No. 62 Ferrari hat right off his head.
“That was very nice, extremely nice,” said Swaluk when asked about Kaffer giving him his hat.
Kaffer attempts to put Swaluk’s hat on, takes it off and pretends to throw it away because, well, it’s not Ferrari. Swaluk continues to chat with Kaffer wishing him luck in his race today and talking cars with him.
Swaluk and his father begin to walk away from Kaffer and Fisichella as a man walks up, grabs a picture out of a folder and hands it to young Swaluk. The picture is the No. 62 car taken two years ago at CoTA.
“I got it signed and I didn’t want it to get wrecked because it was an amazing shot of the car,” said Swaluk of the picture he received.
Swaluk says Kaffer and Fisichella are his favorite drivers. He’s been following them since TUDOR began.
“This has to be one of my favorite series…this whole experience being down here in the Paddock, watching everybody down here working on the cars, just having this great experience.”
Swaluk and his father continued to make their way down the Paddock checking out each team as they walked by. Swaluk has been to 13 races this year and plans to go to many more.
“See ya at Daytona!”