Rico Abreu’s name is practically a synonym for grit in motorsports. Standing at just 4-foot-4 due to achondroplasia, he’s been defying odds his whole career, piling up wins like the 2014 USAC Midget National Championship and back-to-back Chili Bowl Nationals in 2015 and 2016. His journey took a pivotal turn back in 2009 at a charity karting event in California, where a teenage Kyle Larson spotted his talent. What started as a chance meeting turned into a lifelong friendship and dirt track rivalry, with Larson mentoring Abreu as he climbed from local ovals to sprint cars and even NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East. But beyond the checkered flags and roaring crowds, Abreu had found a similar spirit in a young friend, whose story didn’t turn out the same way as his.

Born with a condition that stun

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