But that's where the similarity ends for the Utah karters, who will be joined by fellow Utahns Eddie Olpin of Salt Lake City and Cody Tracy of West Jordan in today's races.

This is the series' second stop in Utah, after its inaugural visit last July.

Yount, 29, a single mother of two boys, just got into professional go-kart racing 18 months ago, and will make her series debut today. This is more of a hobby for the UPS driver who had to take a day off work on Friday just to practice.

"Really, I am just out here to have fun and not suck at it," said the only female in her division.

Self, 17, a junior at Park City High, has been racing karts since he was 11 and has known almost from that time that he wanted to be a professional race car driver. This is just more preparation for that goal, and probably his final year in karts.

"My goal is to race in NASCAR in a few years," said the son of a Park City plastic surgeon. "That's what we are working toward, and we are getting closer, I feel."

Meanwhile, Yount says her goal is to "not get injured this year" after she suffered broken ribs and a shoulder injury due to wrecks last season. She is working toward getting her two sons, 11-year-old Harrison and 10-year-old Andrew, into racing and could be hanging up her racing helmet shortly.

"I'm probably too old to be a race car driver now," she said. "Still, I'm glad I got into it."

Yount was introduced to the sport a few years ago when her stepfather brought home some go-karts. At first, she declined his offer to let her race in one.

"Then I did it one time, and I was hooked," she said, noting how she took first place last year in the local four-cycle series at MMP.

She finds it amusing that she often races against teenage boys almost half her age. The division is for drivers ranging from 16 to 35 years of age.

As for Self, there's more pressure to show he is making progress toward racing cars on the big track at MMP.

He won a car race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., earlier this year, taking the Sportsman Class of the Skip Barber Western Regional Series event. He also won a pair of races in Las Vegas.

Famous drivers such as Danica Patrick, Michael Andretti and Helio Castroneves got their starts in karts, and Self hopes to follow in their footsteps.

Self's father just purchased a NASCAR late model car and the young racer has affiliated with California-based Naake Racing.

"I'm getting closer, but I realize that very few make it over there," he said, pointing toward Miller's road course.

Also this weekend, 10 select drivers from the Stars of Karting will be part of Formula BMW Recruitment Day and will receive classroom instruction and on-track driving experience in the Formula BMW FBO2.

drew@sltrib.com

If you go

* WHAT: Stars of Karting presented by the Indy Racing League

* WHERE: Miller Motorsports Park's 0.89-mile kart track

* WHEN: Today, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

* WHO: About 110 of the top karters from around the country