"Racing the mod lites is really challenging," Schartner said. "After racing on asphalt for almost 10 years, switching to dirt made it a completely different ballgame. Dirt racing is more about trusting your instincts. You really have to focus on hitting your marks and not be afraid to throw the car sideways and manhandle it. I guess you could say asphalt is more of a finesse style of racing.

"The (mod lite) class is also super competitive. We get full fields at almost every track we go to and the level of competition is second to none."

Although Schartner has yet to pick up that elusive first feature victory his three years of racing in the class has not gone without accomplishment - both on and off the track.

Schartner won the 2006 ESDCA Rookie of the Year award while finishing fourth in ESDCA point standings. In 2007 he rode consistency to the ESDCA Mod Lite Mid-Summer Series point championship.

With numerous top-five finishes to his credit at challenging New York state dirt tracks such as Brewerton, Fulton, and Cayuga County speedways, the likeable Schartner was elected to the ESDCA board of directors in 2007. The election made him the youngest person to ever receive such a nomination.

"I think the fact that the members of the ESDCA voted Andrew to their board displays the level of maturity he has at such a young age. I believe what he has overcome in his life directly correlates to the mature person he's developed into," Baker said.

With the dream of racing in NASCAR still in the forefront of his mind, Schartner wanted to give himself the best possible opportunity to do just that. In the summer of 2007, Andrew cut his mod lite racing season short to begin his first college semester at UNC-Charlotte, choosing to major in mechanical engineering with a minor in journalism.

The move, initiated by advisement from Team Full Throttle, placed Schartner in the heart of NASCAR country studying topics directly related to career paths associated with the racing industry.

I think it was a good decision," Schartner said. "We looked at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y.) and it is a great school, but I really wanted to be around NASCAR. Being at UNC-Charlotte, I get the opportunity to meet racing people and get my name out there, and that was really the biggest factor in my decision.

"Leaving your roots is hard, and I love New York, but if you want to do something you have to put yourself in the best position. I think going to school in Charlotte does that for me."

Schartner is making the most of his decision. He made the dean's list in the 2008 spring semester at Charlotte while maintaining a 3.4 GPA in the mechanical engineering program.

ack in New York for the summer, Schartner is focused on garnering his first ESDCA Mod Lite feature victory before returning to Charlotte in August to begin his sophomore year of college. Tentative plans to dabble in a limited late model through Team Full Throttle's late model coordinator, Orion Motorsports, is also a possibility for Andrew before the 2008 season is concluded.

A terrific communicator with a high degree of driving skill; mechanical knowledge; and maturity, the question of Schartner making it in the racing industry is hardly worth asking.

The more appropriate question may be what avenue of the sport will he choose to pursue?