VIVIAN, La.—Cody Surratt, 16, barely has his license, yet he’s steering 500 horsepower and 3,200 pounds of sheet metal and aluminum around the high-banked oval dirt track of the Arklatex Speedway. At each curve, the cars shower dirt and ear-splitting noise on the people in the grandstands. It’s hot and thunderous out there. In a fireproof suit and helmet, Cody is sweating.ÊWhen he started last May in his second season, he was at 14th place among the 20 cars of a heat race. Now he’s in sixth place overall among 60 cars and, with only four more point races to go before th...

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