Chasing Podiums Indoor and Out
A multi-year Challenge GP season champ, Corona lap-record holder, and K1 Circuit Semi-Pro Series winner, Everett Smith is one of the most decorated K1 racers in the world. How did he get here? Read below to learn how you might be able to find success on the track like Everett.
Early Beginnings
For most kids, a go-kart track is a place for birthday parties and weekend outings. For Smith, it was the classroom where he learned to chase a dream.
It began in a quiet living room in the Corona area. Everett’s grandfather called him in to watch a NASCAR race, intending to keep the boy occupied for a few minutes. Instead, Everett sat entranced on his grandfather’s lap, captivated by the machinery and the speed.
“Ever since then, I just thought that this is a true passion I have,” Smith recalls.
That spark ignited a journey that has taken Smith from the passenger seat of amusement park two-seaters to the podium of the U.S. Championship.
As the K1 Speed Corona lap-record holder and a dual participant in Challenge GP and the K1 Circuit Semi-Pro Series, Smith is proving that you don’t need a long line of family racers to dominate the track.
The Rise of a Racer
Smith began honing his skills earnestly in late 2021. By June 2022, when the Pole Position track in Corona was acquired by K1 Speed, Smith was ready to elevate his game.
“It’s just gotten bigger and bigger,” Smith says of his progression. “Now, I’d say [I’m at the track] every other week if possible, sometimes even once a week.”
That dedication has paid dividends. Smith has become a fixture on the podium, securing a top-three finish at the 2025 U.S. Nationals and an impressive 5th place finish at the 2025 E-World Championship.
Smith admits the pressure was real on the national and world stages, but it only sharpened his focus.
“Pressure makes diamonds,” Smith says. “I knew that I had a real chance to at least make it to the podium… If I can at least make it on that top three and get to Worlds, I’m getting somewhere.”
Smith saw more success before the end of 2025, swapping the indoor Corona track for the outdoor K1 Circuit. Smith finished the Junior Semi-Pro Series in 1st place, earning $2,000 for his accomplishment.
The Off-Track Life
Off the track, Smith describes himself as a “very boring person,” though his competitors might describe him as relentlessly focused. A hybrid schooling schedule — two days on campus, three days at home — allows him to dedicate maximum time to his craft.
When he isn’t physically driving at K1 Speed or K1 Circuit, he is virtually driving at home. Smith utilizes a simulator setup, preferring iRacing’s NASCAR series to emulate his ultimate dream of racing stock cars.
“Racing is pretty much just all I know at this point,” he admits. “So I just grind, grind, grind.”
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