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There's always a story Beyond the Score.

We are NASCAR's fastest track, it is jaw-dropping.

Jayci Simon, silver medalist, what does that mean to you?

It used to just be a dream and now it's a reality.

It's not about what you have.

It's about what you do with what you have.

Anybody who says that NASCAR drivers are no athletes are absolutely insane.

Welcome to Beyond the Score.

I'm your host, Al Martin, and I'm here at Michigan International Speedway, a place where legends have been made for over 55 years.

This two mile oval has hosted everything from unforgettable NASCAR finishes to moments that defined racing history here in the Great Lakes State.

Today, yes, the stands are empty, bu the stories are full throttle.

On this episode of Beyond the Score, we begin with an incredible journey that of Paralympic Silver Medalist Jayci Simon.

Jayci has overcome a rare form of dwarfism to become one of the bes badminton players in the world.

Proving that size is no barrier to heart and determination.

Then we'll shift gears.

Yeah, literally right here at MIS as I suit up for the NASCAR racing experience.

Stepping into the driver's seat to see, hear, and feel what it's like to race at speeds of over 100mph.

Two very different worlds, but connected by one thing - the courage to push beyond limits.

So... Buckle up.

It's going to be a ride.

Cradled inside Pilgrim Global Methodist Church in St John's, Michigan, sits a roo that helped build a Paralympian.

This isn't a national training center.

No high tech lab, no wall of Olympic rings.

Just a basketball floor.

And a dream.

For most people, this is a church gym.

For Jayci Simon, this is where history started.

When I say Jayci Simon, silver medalist, what does that mean to you?

It's kind of lik a representation of my hard work and it takes so much to get to that point.

And it used to just be a dream and now it's a reality.

I get to have that title.

At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, 19 year old Jayci Simon and her partner, Miles Krajewski, did something no American had ever done before.

They won Tea USA's first ever para-badminton medal, a silver in mixed doubles.

That silver wasn't just a medal.

It was the first badminton medal of any kind for Team USA at either the Olympics or Paralympics.

I couldn't sleep all night.

I couldn't believe that this had just happened.

Before badminton even entered the picture, Jayci was that kid - the on who wanted to play everything.

But at seven years old, her parents got news that reshaped her world.

Doctors diagnosed her with Acromicric dysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism, and told her she probably wouldn't be able to keep up with her peers.

When you first learned of Jayci's diagnosis as parents, what was your reaction?

My reaction was relief, we'd been to numerous specialists, and those doctors were testing her for many different disorder and diseases that had shortened life expectancies o lots of medical complications.

So by the time we got he dwarfism diagnosis at age seven, it was a huge relief because it meant average life expectancy and the short stature really was nothing.

And, I felt like we could deal with that.

The size difference was pretty significant at that point already.

And just keeping up with the kids on the field was frustrating for her.

Most people would scale down their dreams.

Jayci took it personal.

She was not happy about it, of course.

Where we felt a sense of relief, she was kind of in denial.

Fast forward to 2015.

The Little People of America conference in Saint Louis.

Jayci went there for one reason - to compete, to run, jump, play against people who look like her, moved like her and loved sports like she did.

Her feistiness, her athleticism, her will to succeed, her competitiveness.

Boys were very intimidated by her.

So either they really despised her and wanted to put her in her place and show her who was boss on the field or they were like, "who is this girl?

We want her on our team."

People took notice and everyone was talking about her.

We would walk around St.

Loui and we could hear people talking about that new little girl.

In the middle of all that competition.

Someone else was watching - th father of another young player.

Her eventual Paralympic partner Miles Krajewski.

Miles' father saw Jayci's athleticism, her fire.

He reached out to Jayci and her family about the sport of badminton.

I didn't even know that it was a sport.

And then - You had no ide what the sport was before then?

I never heard of it.

And my parents didn't either.

When my mom got the email, she had to look it up.

And then they went and got a backyard badminton set and I started in my grandparents' backyard.

Wow.

Yeah.

Her first time playing was rough.

By her own words, she was terrible.

I was used to like, being able to just pick up a sport and being like, semi-decent at it.

And this I was just so bad.

And then so I was like, okay, I mean, this is cool, but I didn't really see it taking me anywhere.

You didn't love it.

You didn't love it at first?

Not at first, no.

But terrible didn't stick.

Because not long after, she went to her first international tournament and medaled.

She went down to Peru and she was, I believe, 14.

Youngest competitor ever in an international para event.

And there's no age groups.

So she's playing against older teenagers, full grown adults.

And she had succes and medaled in all three events.

So I think that wa where the light bulb went off, like there could be something here.

That accomplishment flipped a switch.

Badminton wasn't just something new to try.

It was a lane, a calling.

There's one word that follows Jayci everywhere, it's relentless.

She refuses to let a perceived weakness stay a weakness.

If something looks like a disadvantage, she works it until it becomes a strength.

When something becomes my dream, I'm going to do it to the fullest and I don't want to have any regrets.

I'd just be in class and, even though I should be focusing on school, I was always plotting like, how can I be better?

How can my training be better?

What's a new exercise I can do to improve this?

How can I get funding to go to this?

Contemplating like, what's next, what's next?

Before Paris, there was Thailand, the World Championships, and a make or break moment for her Paralympic dream.

For Jayci and Miles, the math was simple.

Bronze meant Paris.

Anything less, and the dream would have to wait.

They fell short.

No bronze, no ticket.

At least that's how it felt.

When did it become a reality that, wow, I'm in the top 12, I've qualified, I get to go and chase a medal over there.

When did that happen?

Do you remember?

Yeah.

So we had world championships And then there was something in the in the rules about points.

And it turns out that, we now had a shot.

A technicality shifted the standings.

The team from Peru was ruled ineligible.

Jayci and Miles were bumped up to bronze.

And suddenly, they were in.

I got a phone call from my mom, actually, and she was screaming over the phone.

I could barely even understand her.

But she's basically like, "You qualified!

You qualified!"

I thought she was messing with me for a second but I knew her reaction wouldn't be that big if she was messing with me.

I couldn't contain myself and I was crying and smiling.

And she said you were barely, barely audible.

Yes, I was.

I mean, I like I said, couldn't contain my excitement.

So I pulled over into the Starbucks and I was like, I' getting Starbucks to celebrate.

And then and I had to, like, regrou and I just couldn't believe it.

Paris, the city where a kid from Saint John's walked on to the biggest stage in adaptive sport.

This wasn't a vacation.

It was the culmination of nearly a decade of work.

It was overwhelming, absolutely.

Seeing the signs around the city, seeing other athletes, seein anyone with USA on their shirts, there was just a lot of moments that were triggering emotionally.

At first it's intimidating because you're competing o the highest stage in the world, but also you feel so proud to represent your country.

When I walk in to the venue and out on court, no matter how many times I did it, I got chills.

The atmosphere was just amazing.

Just so loud and energetic.

And yeah, it was it was awesome.

The turning point came in the semifinals.

Facing a strong team from India, Jayci and Miles knew a win would guarantee them a medal shot.

When did it hit you that, okay, we could we could medal here.

Once we got out of the group play, we knew that we had a good chance.

It would be tough, but it wasn't out of reach.

They won in three sets.

And just like that, the dream shifted again.

It wasn't just about making the Paralympics anymore.

After that it was like, okay, we can do this.

In the gold medal match Jayci and Miles faced a seasoned pair from China, Lin Naili and Li Fengmei.

Veterans of the sport.

They didn't come away with gold, falling in two sets.

But they walked away with something no U.S.

athlete had ever held before - a Paralympic badminton medal and a place in history.

You got a silver medal.

Gold would have been nice, though, right?

Yeah.

Gold would have been nice.

But, that's what L.A.

's for.

There you go.

I like the mentality.

I can't even process the emotions.

It still didn't seem real.

It's just that, that exciting.

For those who may be watching this, especially young athletes, young athletes with disabilities, what kind of message do you have to them?

Do you have a message for them?

I would say that hard work beats talent every time.

So it's not about what you have.

It's about what you do with what you have.

And so, no dream is ever too big.

How has she changed you?

Well, she makes me want to be a harder worker and a better person.

She's definitely made me a better mom.

No matter what life throws at you, you you push through it you don't let it keep you down.

And if anything, you take it an you just prove everyone wrong.

Jayci says the goal now is to qualify when the Paralympic Games come to Los Angeles in 2028.

Unti then, she'll continue training as well as finishing up school.

Jayci has shown that greatness doesn' need the biggest stage to begin.

Sometimes it starts right here in a small church gym in Saint John's, Michigan with a light switch, a racket, and a dream that refuses to be small.

Michigan International Speedway.

Two miles of speed, history and pure adrenaline tucked into the heart of Brooklyn, Michigan.

No crowds today No race day roar.

Just a handful of strangers a legendary oval, and me.

About to attempt my first day behind the wheel of a NASCAR stock car.

It's a place built for the world's fastest.

And today, somehow, I'm on the schedule.

Before we suit up, let's understand the ground we're standing on.

I spoke with Joe Fowler, President of Michigan International Speedway.

When you talk about MIS right, it's been around for decades.

It's really a staple of the state at this point.

How would you describe its place in Michigan' sports and cultural landscape?

Michigan International Speedway is truly a cornerstone of Michigan culture.

And, you know, the track has been around for decades.

Tens of thousands of fans come every year to check out NASCAR racing.

But, what we're proud of is, as you think about the state of Michigan, we think about innovation and technology, the birthplace of the auto industry, you know, and that' the heartbeat of our industry.

That's the heartbeat of racing.

MIS is a place wher all of that just comes together.

What makes MIS unique in comparison to other NASCAR tracks around the country?

We are NASCAR's fastest track, first of all.

And so when you see cars rip around this place at nearly 200 miles an hour, it is jaw-dropping.

That alone is impressive.

And then you think about th duality of the experience right?

You're here in one of the mos beautiful parts of the country, let alone the state of Michigan in the Irish hills.

It's green, it's lush.

We're surrounded by all these beautiful lakes and wildlife.

But then when you're here to watch a race, it's it's high octane, high intensity.

Loud.

It's just raw speed.

And when you combine those two things, it's an experience like no other.

Yes, MIS holds the title of NASCAR's fastest track since it was repaved in 2012.

The track saw qualifying speeds in excess of 200mph throughout the 2010s.

Texas and Las Vegas Moto Speedways ranked right behind.

MIS isn't just fast.

It's woven into Michigan's DNA.

A place where family road trips become traditions.

Where summer memories are measured in decibels.

And where the state sports story loops this oval again and again.

Charles and Jaden.

Father and son.

They just finished their time at the track, smiling like the first day they discovered horsepower.

Speed is the headline.

Bonding is the subtext.

What was it like being in that car, doing those laps?

What were the nerves like?

This is my second time.

More nervous this time than the first time.

Why?

Because I want to do better.

Very exhilarating, very nervous.

Never done anything like tha before.

It passed so quickly.

You're just you're out driving, you get out going, and then before you know it, you're pulling in to stop.

My group and I sat for the instructional vide before any of the action began.

Safety.

The launch.

The apron line.

Listening to your spotter.

Maintaining speed on the turns.

All explained and emphasized.

Meanwhile, the track kept talking.

Engines rising, falling, rising again.

I realized that you don't just visit MIS.

You plug in to it.

And a confession.

I had never driven a stick.

Like, ever.

Todd Bel is the track operations manager for the NASCAR Racing Experience.

The man responsible for turning nervous rookies into confident drivers.

So, naturally, I figured I should come clean about this tiny detail.

One of the questions you get all the time is if you guys have automatics?

No, these are all manual transmission.

Advice for your boy, because that's the only thing I'm a little nervous about.

Trust it.

Trust it.

I spend about 5 minutes with you and teach you how to do it and you got it.

You're golden.

we do have some ops managers that they'll put it over in fourth gea and we can push you off.

I don't like to push.

You signed up to drive a race car, so you're going to get the full experience.

Now you're going to be able to tell all your buddies, "first time I ever changed gears was in a racecar."

Mine was in a Honda or, you know, whatever.

It was like "I changed gears in a racecar.

When did you do it?

What was your first time?"

It's like you know, if you don't tell me - then, we're going to find out because we choke it out and you got to take the walk of shame, you got to get out because you couldn't drive a stick.

At leas we know you can't drive a stick.

Oh I'm going to be very transparent.

Exactly.

I ride within my limits, okay?

But I mean, I've already had two today.

We ain't pushed a car yet.

I haven't pushed a car in about six months.

There's not too many manual cars out there in the world today.

But, hey the first time I did it was in a racecar at MIS.

So, you walk out of here with a puffy chest and it's like a proud moment.

So before I ever touched the steering wheel, Todd sat me in a plastic chair.

Yes, a chair, right next to pit lane.

That was our practice car.

Right foot, left foot.

Clutch motion, shift into first, and ultimately into fourth, where I'd stay the entire time on the track.

Straight down - straight down.

And you're gone.

Boom, you're gone.

Fourth gear, he says, is the comfort zone.

Comfort?

I wasn't sure I'd feel that again today.

This seems lik a theme because the first group that I interviewed they were also father and son.

This is kind of like bonding time for you guys, right?

The second father son duo I met that day.

Meet Matt and Drew.

They slid in ahead of me in the queue.

Repeat customers.

Relaxed, laughing, and ready.

Total opposite of me.

What is it about this sport that's allowed you guys to reall to really gravitate towards it?

What is it about racing?

That right there, right?

That sound.

Their calm was contagious.

Names called.

Engines up.

One car after another rolling out.

The closer I got, the clearer my focus became.

Then I heard it.

Todd calls me.

The window climb is a rite of passage.

NASCAR vehicles have no doors in order to reduce weight and improve safety.

And then there's the cockpit.

Tight.

Like, your shoulders are part of the chassis tight.

That's serious!

I couldn't turn my head left or right.

I didn't feel claustrophobic, but I understood why some folks tap out right here.

The steering wheel is basically in your lap, and you're riding position is almost like you are sitting in a bathtub.

One last breath.

Thumbs up.

Clutch in, first, second, third, fourth.

Wait, I did it.

That easy?

After that, the oval unfurled like film through a projector.

Biggest mistak that you see first timers make when they get behind the wheel for the experience.

I don't want to say it's a mistake, but one thing they don't do i they don't really trust the car.

Because going down the backstretch and you see a big curve, my mind tells me 'there's a curve up there.

I better slow dow because I'm about to go left.'

But with these race cars, they're built and designed and the banking of the tracks for you to stay in the throttle all the way around the track.

Those words - "trust the corners" - echoed in my helmet as I sent the car into the first bend.

Okay, s we got to talk about something.

I really wish I could show you the in-car footage of me driving.

The NASCAR racing experience has mounted cameras facing its drivers the entire ride.

But that camera decided to take the day off.

But thankfully, our crew wa on the ground and on the move, so you can see everything from outside the car.

And trust me, I've watched those clips enough to know.

Yes, that was really me.

At 4500 rpms, this wasn't about pushing harder.

It was about believing the track would hold me.

And as those G-forces pulled and the speed climbed, I finally felt it.

Back to pit.

I didn't want to climb out.

What a thrill.

I'm in this small space, confined space.

It is really hot in here.

I can't imagine doing this for hundreds of laps.

What do you think is the biggest misconception that people get wrong when it comes to lookin at NASCAR drivers as athletes?

I drive every day.

I can do that.

It's just like a lot of other sports, they are professionals for a reason.

Not everybody can do that.

They're athletes and I think that's the biggest thing that people don't really understand is, they're not like us.

Anybody who says that NASCAR drivers aren' athletes are absolutely insane.

But Todd wasn't done showing me what these machines can do.

He told me to get into the passenger sea with one of their pro drivers, Jeffrey Miles.

It was time to show me what real racing feels like.

He said two words afte I shook his hand - "watch this."

The moment he hit the accelerator, he shifted into fourth gear i what seemed like a millisecond.

The G-forces pushed me down int the seat like a rocket launch.

We flew around turns I had tiptoed through just minutes earlier.

I understood instantly why NASCAR drivers are elite athletes.

A moment I'll never forget.

Unbelievable.

What these guys do, to do that for 400 laps?

Come on, man.

Can you touch upon, Joe, why experience like that... Wow.

... allowing, you know, the regular... Man.

... the regular Joes of the world, right, to get behind the wheel and experience that, why that connection matters when it comes to you all growing the sport or trying to grow the sport of NASCAR?

I would tell you it creates a really personal connection.

You know, you have that new appreciation for wha those drivers are going through, and it's just natural curiosity, right?

Then you want to learn more about the cars.

You want to learn more about the rules.

You want to learn more about the drivers, and the sport as a whole.

And so I would tell you, I think it turns even fans, you know whether you're casual or avid, it turns you into an even bigger fan.

And that's what we lov about that type of experience.

It gets you closer to the sport.

According to Market U.S.

motorsports globally are set to nearly double their market size to over $16.7 billion by 2034.

Driven by new fans, new platforms, and new ways to engage.

And here in the US, when fan turn toward motor sports, about three out of four are watching the sport of NASCAR.

What role do you see MIS playing in the future of motorsports?

Especially as fan engagement, it continues to evolve here in 2025.

It's again thinking about the way we use our property, thinking about the product offerings that we have out there thinking about the experiences that we put together fo our fans and how we can make it just a little bit better every time.

If we continue to do that and we continue to succeed and get better and better and better every year, that's what's going to help our business grow as a racetrack.

But I think that's also what's going to help our sport continue to grow.

That's where we put a lo of our emphasis as an industry.

And to understand the rise, look no further than a track like MIS.

Providing an experienc that makes the sport tangible.

A suit that hugs you tight, a spotter in your ear, and a moment when the world narrows down to a single line around a two mile oval.

Because once you feel that, once you taste the craft behind the chaos, you understand why motor sports aren't just growing, they're accelerating.

From the quiet focus of a badminton court to the roaring engines of a NASCAR track.

Sports have a way of revealing the very best in us.

Today, we witnessed it all.

From Jayci Simon' groundbreaking run to Paralympic glory, to my own high speed adventure here at Michigan International Speedway.

And while the experiences couldn't be more different, they share the same fuel that of passion, perseverance, and a relentless drive to go further than anyone thought possible.

And as I take one last loo at this historic superspeedway, I'm reminded that greatness isn't just measured in wins or trophies.

It's measured in courage and in stories that stay with us long after the engines go quiet.

Thanks for riding along with me today on Beyond the Score.

Until next time, be easy people.

Beyond the Score is supported in part by Capital Insurance Services offering comprehensive personal and commercial insurance, including medical professional liability to Lansing and throughout Michigan since 1980.

More resources and information about offerings at capital insurance dot com.