Jan 27, 2003 By Christine Haines 3 min read

BROWNSVILLE – Childhood dreams can come true. When Brownsville Mayor Norma Ryan’s children were little, they asked her what she had wanted to be when she grew up.

The answer wasn’t mayor, but race car driver.

“My family was friends with a family that had motorcycles, the Cerinis of Donora,” Ryan said. “We used to go to motorcycle climbs and my brother was into car racing, so we went to races with him, as well.”

Ryan said a woman won one of the car races and she remembered everyone making a fuss about it.

“I said that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up,” Ryan said.

Years went by and Ryan nearly forgot she’d even told her children that story when they were little, but apparently they didn’t forget. For her 70th birthday, her children gave her a gift certificate for the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Walt Disney World Speedway.

It took a year to get all of the children and grandchildren together, giving Ryan time to decide whether she was going to be a driver or a passenger in the stock car. She finally used the certificate this past Christmas.

“The reason I chose riding was because I wasn’t patient enough to go through the training program,” Ryan said.

Drivers must go through a 2.5-hour training program before getting behind the wheel of a stock car at the Richard Petty Driving Experience. Instead, Ryan opted for the ride-along program, getting into racing coveralls and a five-point harness, then climbing in through the window of the stock car. At 5 feet, 2 inches tall, that was one of the more challenging moments of the racing experience for Ryan. Her driver got a bench for her to stand on, and she was able to slide into the car.

“Getting out, I got one leg out and realized there was no bench there,” Ryan said. “My kids said I didn’t do it very gracefully.”

Between the sliding in and stumbling out were three laps around the oval track at 145 mph.

“When you see cars racing on the embankment, you think it must be frightening,” Ryan said. “I’ve felt more frightened on roller coasters than I did on the race car drive.”

Ryan said the safety equipment and harness gave her a strong sense of security in the stock car.

“It’s thrilling going that fast, but it wasn’t frightening at all,” Ryan said.

“My kids were like Cheshire cats, all grins. They helped mom fulfill a dream, a dream that I had forgotten about.”

Ryan said her children are still trying to get her behind the wheel of one of the stock cars.

“I told them we’d think about it for my 75th birthday,” Ryan said.