Anchorage Box Racer
Anchorage Box Racer offers a coming-of-age story about a young man from a broken home who loses sight of his dream after suffering a disability, falling into homelessness during a winter in Anchorage and the depthsof alcoholism. The compelling story is dramatically told in a way that can inspire readers the way we feel after viewing Rocky, Days of Thunder or Rudy.
“My purpose in writing this story,” reveals author Sig. Alexander, “was my defense mechanism of dealing with the blight of homelessness and substance addiction amongst the young in Anchorage, Alaska. I wanted to write a book that shows how a young man ends up homeless, hampered by alcoholism, and discovers his worth and takes the steps to improve his life and climb all the barriers before him to succeed. It is the hero’s journey.”
The idea came to him when he was working in federal law enforcement for three decades. “I was driving around with one of my agents, and we came upon a homeless camp,” he says. “There was a black Ford Mustang on blocks near a disheveled trailer. My agent explained that the drug detectives were joking, saying the homeless were preparing the car to race. It sparked something immediately. I saw a homeless kid with aspirations of being a NASCAR driver. I wrote the first draft in just three months.”
Anchorage Box Racer is positioned to serve as a compelling narrative that inspires young adults to attain success, irrespective of their current circumstances. The story encourages readers to confront their individual challenges and identify the obstacles that impede their progress toward achieving their goals. It fosters introspection and motivates individuals to advance in their lives, even in the midst of significant adversity.
The central character, Tayen Stormrider, is a talented yet overconfident 16--year-old race car driver who regards his fans as distractions and perceives obstacles as inconsequential. The book follows “Tay”, a gifted teenage racer from Alaska whose life looks golden at the track and absolutely brutal everywhere else Having been raised in a tumultuous and violent environment, he copes by envisioning an optimistic future, often overlooking the importance of present circumstances.
His life undergoes a dramatic transformation when he becomes visually impaired and finds himself residing in a homeless camp in Anchorage. In this challenging situation, he grapples with alcoholism and a pervasive sense of failure. Nonetheless, a serendipitous encounter with a dedicated police officer serves as a catalyst, helping him rediscover his passion for racing and reignite his aspirations of competing in NASCAR.
Selected Book Excerpts
“Tay, don’t come in here!” she yelled. I knew not to insert myself between her and my father because he could quickly turn his aggression toward me.
…
To help me sleep, I would think about what it would be like to live in a large mansion or huge yacht or drive a fancy car… My coping mechanism was to push myself into a comfortable imagination of where I wanted to be instead of where I was… It was also a flaw, because I found it hard to ever live in the present.
…
I returned to the sink and tried to find what my father had burned. It was fabric of some type. It was my racing uniform and gloves. Under it was my trophy. Anger enveloped me.
“Please stop, Rey. You’re killing me,” she said… “Tayen, please help me!”
I rushed out of my stupor… “Dad, get off of her, please.”
“You think you’re so special. You’re nothing. If you don’t get out, you will regret it.”“Tayen, my name is Raven Corbitt. I’m a detective with the Alaska State Troopers.”
…
“I’m sorry that I’m the one that must tell you, but your mother passed away.”
“I know. I saw it happen.”
“Your father is gone as well.”
I thought that I just knocked him out but never expected he would die… “I didn’t want him to die, but he killed my mother right in front of me.”
…
“They say it was self-defense.”
…
“You are a minor, so I spoke with your Uncle Nash. He told me that you could stay with him in Palmer…”
“You’re just a kid. You need a guardian.”
I opened the door and stepped into the garage… The NASCAR stock car lined up near the roll-up garage door…
I climbed into the stock car and bolted on the steering wheel. I sat in the car, pretending to change gears and turn on an oval track. I closed my eye and was in a race. Other drivers were trying to pass me, but they couldn’t beat me.
I grabbed the bandage over my missing eye and broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. My career was over and even my evolved imagination could not propel me into a successful future.
