A Profile of Racing Prodigy Corbin Collins

While many others in his sophomore class at Greenwood Laboratory School are just now getting their drivers licenses, being behind the wheel is no new feat for Corbin Collins.

Collins started racing at age 10. “It’s a funny story,” he says. “My dad and I were driving down the road and saw a kart in a Buffalo Wild Wings parking lot, and I was honestly captivated. So we dove into some research, learned about the world of kart racing and after lots of ‘please, can I race, Dads’ and convincing my mom, my first season of go-karting was in 2019, and it all took off from there.”

His career first started in racing at the Gateway Kartplex in St. Louis, and while he’s raced on many tracks since, the memory of his first race stays with him today. “That first race, honestly, I don’t think my heart has ever beat that fast for that long before,” he says. “But really, it was just a blast. I was running with different people, battling and fighting for a position. It was like being in a completely different state of mind than I’d ever been in before: exhilarating, fun, scary and just filled with adrenaline the whole time.”

Now on his seventh season of racing, Collins has seen a lot of success in his career, from winning National Auto Sport Association’s Rookie of the Year to holding track records and standing on many winner’s podiums over the years. But he considers his growth to be his biggest accomplishment. “I’ve grown immensely in my maturity level between my decision-making and ability to learn from my own mistakes and to take in coaching,” he says. “I think I have that to thank for my on-track success.”

As Collins’ passion for racing has grown, his family and team have transitioned from a variety of different types of sanctioned races, but one thing has remained true throughout. “Everywhere we’ve gone it’s just filled with people who, more than anything, love racing and want to see people succeed in racing,” Collins says. “I think since I’m so young, a lot of people really kind of take me under their wing, which has been immensely helpful.”

With the help of his many mentors, he’s also been able to control his nerves behind the wheel. “I’ve learned to hone the nerves and turn that into a hyper-focus on the track, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have worries or doubts before I go out,” he says. “I definitely do get nervous when I’m sitting waiting to go out.”

The biggest help for his time behind the wheel has been support from his friends and family. “We’ve had different live broadcasting systems in the car and they always love to watch, which really means a lot,” Collins says.

While many teenagers don’t have to worry about maintaining a work-life balance, Collins has learned how to properly juggle professional racing, school and time with friends and family. “My teachers are all really understanding,” he says. “I think they all understand the weight of what I’m carrying here and what I’m trying to accomplish. But an open line of communication with them is really important when I have to miss the occasional Friday for a race. Obviously, it’s harder to spend family time because we’re gone on the weekends, but we still make it work. More than anything, it’s family and school. All of that comes before racing.”

For his 2025 International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) season, Collins will travel across the United States from Florida to California and to the Le Mans Invitational in France, in June. “First and foremost, my biggest goal would be results in this season,” he says. “But on top of that, I’d just like to learn and develop as a driver and make connections with people that are going to last a lifetime.”

In order to accomplish these goals, Collins plans to push through any barriers and continue to invest time in honing his skills. “My age plays a really big role in accomplishing my dreams because I’ve been hindered by it before with not being able to compete in certain series,” he says. “But I think having that in front of me and not letting it affect me and continuing to put in the hours has really helped. On top of that, I’ve learned from every mistake I’ve made and can implement that on the track.

Accomplishing dreams is really a time commitment and a passion commitment, but if the passion and grit are there you can do it.”